Of True Love's Kiss
by may cantaloupe
Summary: After seeing Snow and Eric together, William decides to cast a spell on the huntsman, which makes him no longer love Snow White. Will she run to the arms of her childhood friend as William planned or fight for Eric's love? NEW CHAPTER UP
1. Of A Broken Heart

**If I **_**did **_**own the movie or the characters, Snow White and Eric would be making a lot of babies now.**

* * *

This was just not right.

William took large strides through the palace hallways, not really knowing where to go. A month had passed since Snow White's coronation, but he had stayed even after his father and army had gone back home, because he was still afraid if he left she would disappear again. She showed no objection to his staying, which had only filled his heart with hope. Hope that one day he would no longer be _just_ her friend, but also her husband, the man she loved.

That was in the past now, he thought, as his feet led him to the room where Snow had killed Ravenna. She hadn't yet decided what to make of it, so it remained closed, untouched. He continued his furious pace, back and forth inside the wide room, as if he could walk the thoughts off his head.

He stopped suddenly and the images came vivid in his mind, and hurt him as if he was seeing it for the first time. Snow White, _his_ Snow, running through one empty hall in the palace, her dark hair flying around her, as she looked back and laughed. He took a step towards her and was about to call out her name when her huntsman came rushing right behind her, and easily catching up with her, grabbed her by the waist and swirled her in his embrace, whispering something to her that made her laugh even more. And then they kissed. As if it was the most natural thing in the world. William could no longer bare it, so he turned his back to the couple and left, his feelings a turmoil inside of him.

He felt hurt, angry, stupid, betrayed…yet deep down a voice told him that he didn't really have the right to feel that way. She was never his. It was never him she searched for eagerly with her eyes in a crowded room, it wasn't for him she saved a seat beside her in all the meals, and it most definitely wasn't for him all of her secrets warm smiles and looks. No, none of this was for him, it was all for a grumpy huntsman.

He took the first thing he saw in his way and threw it across the room angrily, and heard a loud sound of metal clashing in return. He turned around to see Ravenna's golden mirror still hanging on the wall, shinning at him, and couldn't help get closer to it. The mirror seemed to get more shinny with every step he took and then suddenly it started to move, and then melt, until liquid gold traced its way towards him, stopping right in front of him. It begun to rise and formed what looked like a man with a hood covering his face, down to his chest.

William looked at the form dumb folded, he was shaking inside, but couldn't move on the outside.

"Master William" The mirror spoke, and it made him tremble even more. He didn't have the guts to answer it, so he just stood there, looking transfixed at it.

"I've been waiting for you" Its deep voice took over the entire room, and made him wonder if other people could hear it from the outside. He swallowed harshly and spoke to the creature before him.

"How do you know my name? And why have you been waiting for me?" He hated how weak his voice sounded, though he could not help it.

The mirror seemed to laugh, a sound so creepy he almost turned and walked away.

"Questions, questions. It's what ails you, is it not? You have been wondering all sorts of things for a long time now. Does the queen loves you?, And if not how to win her?, Were you doing the right things?, Why _him_ and not you? Am I right, William?"

William grew angry as the mirror spoke, and more fiercely now, demanded of it.

"How do you know of this?"

"I know everything that happens in the palace grounds, including the solution to your problems, if you so wish"

This time it was William who laughed.

"You cannot help me. No one can. She loves another, and has made her choice. It's done now." He didn't really know why he was telling all of this to a mirror, but there was something about his voice that compelled him to say his most inner secrets.

"You are a fool. Giving up without even trying" The mirror mocked him.

"I _have _tried, I did everything I could to win her heart, but apparently she's not into nobility." He scowled.

"What about magic, boy?" The mirror's voice got deeper, more seductive.

"Magic?" William repeated, seeming to consider it for a moment, but then shook his head. "I don't want Snow to love me because of a spell."

"Once again, you are a fool. Your main obstacle towards the queen's affection is the huntsman. If you do something to retreat his advance towards her, your way will be free"

William's thoughts cleared as a movie of what could be passed through his head. The huntsman man leaving her, her suffering, his comfort, and one thing leading to another until she was in love with him. He smiled.

"What should I do?"

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**So, this is the first chapter, it is not long, I know, but it's only the beggining. Let me know what you think and if I should go on. **

**And english is not my native language, so there WILL be mistakes, sorry.**


	2. Of True Love

**Thank so much for the reviews and for addind me and the story as your favorites, you're all sweathearts. Now hope you enjoy the secound chapter...**

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"_Go to the dark forest, right in its beginning, and take the poisonous mushroom that grows in the rotten land. Be careful not to touch it with your bare hands. It destroys everything that comes to his encounter. Then, you'll have to find a strand of his and hers hair, and something that binds them both together. Put them all in a bowl for one day and then use the dust it that has formed in his drink. Once he consumes it, by the next sun rise, he shall love her no more."_

William looked at the forest ahead of him and frowned. The Dark Forest didn't look so dark anymore. A lot of the dense fog that covered it had dissipated, and the trees were beginning to heal. It was Snow White's effect, as the people called it. Everything that has been darkened by Ravenna seemed to be regaining its normal form, and the people from the kingdom were healing along with their land. He smiled at it, proud of Snow, but soon his smile faded and his face became tense. He dismounted of the horse and made his way into the wood, apprehensive.

He hated himself for even thinking it, but right now, he didn't want Snow White to heal the land. Because if the land was healed he couldn't find the mushroom the mirror had told him about, and there would be no spell. He felt his heart race, as he searched for it everywhere, without success. Despair threatened to take control of him, when finally he saw a black stain on the floor. He got closer to it and covered his nose to protect from the terrible smell that burned his eyes. There were big dark mushrooms sticking out the rotten floor, so he kneeled down next to one of them and took one with his gloved hand, putting it quickly in a sack he had brought with him.

He got up and made his way out of the forest, where his horse awaited him. Just three more items and he'd have Snow all to himself. He sighed happily as he mounted the horse and hit the road.

* * *

"Snow"

No response.

"Snow White"

"Hmmm"

Eric laughed slightly and looked down at the beauty that sat between his legs, her back pressed against his torso and her head resting on his shoulders. He had his arms around her protectively, even though he knew it wasn't necessary. No one would ever harm her here, in the Sanctuary.

She had wanted to go back there ever since her coronation. Now she didn't have an entire army looking for her, she could enjoy everything the place had to offer, but Eric kept saying it could be dangerous to go out on a trip while they didn't know if there was any remaining opposition from the previous queen's army. After a month had passed and the kingdom remained peaceful, he decided to take her there himself, which suited her alright, since he was the only one she wanted to share _her_ sanctuary with.

He shook her once more, since his last attempts of waking her up were vain.

"Snow, wake up, we have got to go" His voice was soft in spite his order. She shifted slightly in his arms, and then changed her position, turning in his arms until her side rested against his muscled torso and lifted her head to look at him. He arched an eyebrow at her, and in respond she smiled and buried her head back on his neck, embracing it with her arms.

He laughed harder this time, making her body shake involuntarily. He caressed her hair and brushed his cheek in hers, tickling her with his beard.

"I think your parents should have baptized you Sleepy Beauty, instead of Snow White"

She smiled and raised her head once more.

"So I'm a beauty then, huntsman?" she teased

"Oh, well, it's just an expression." She punched him playfully and he laughed

"Now, you need not to ask me that, my dear. You know you are the fairest of them all." She opened her mouth to speak, but he was faster "And since everyone seems bewitched by their new queen, they will be sure missing you by now."

She sighed deeply. She knew he was right, and yet…

"Just look at this place, Eric." She swung one of her arms open, gesturing towards the Sanctuary. "How can you want to leave it?"

He too sighed "Sometimes we don't want to leave, Snow, but something pulls us away from it either way. In this case, is your duty."

"What duty? I have no other meetings today, no council, no nothing. We can stay if we want."

"It will be dark soon…" He was almost giving in, she knew it.

"You know as well as I do this place is just as beautiful at night, and before you say something" because he was about to "I packed us enough food and water to get us through the night."

He looked at her, no argument good enough coming to his mind.

"Alright, we stay. But we leave first thing in the morning"

She smiled and hugged him and then got up, too excited to be sitting down. She held her hand to help him get up, and he took it. She beamed at him, and he could do nothing but smile. He just couldn't deny her anything. Not when he knew it would put this gleam in her eyes and a smile on her lips.

"Now, come on, Eric, time to prove yourself a good huntsman and help me find some wood for our fire"

"Making a fire, are we?" He mocked her

"Of course, We'll need some light." She laced her arm with his and they strode through the woods "Besides, it'll only make things more romantic" she teased him

He laughed

"Trying to seduce me, princess?" She laughed at her former nickname. She stopped and got on her tiptoes, bringing her face so close to his their nose touched.

"Haven't I, already?"

* * *

William made sure there was no one in the stables before he came in and tied up his horse. He took the clean clothes he had left in there earlier, got changed and splashed some of the water he had taken with him on his face, so no one would question him on his dirty appearance.

He certified he had the sack with him and went inside the castle, straight into his room, where he had made a list of all the things he needed just in case he forgot something. He took a look in the remaining items: a strand of hair of each. That shouldn't be so hard, he thought

He left his room and went to Eric's bedchamber first, which was only two doors away from his own, and one door away from Snow's. He knocked on the door, and no one answered. He opened it and found the room empty. He closed the door behind him and moved as fast as he could, not wanting to get caught in there. He tried his pillow first, but the lack of proper light as it was almost night now, and the fact that Eric's hair was blond made matters more difficult. After a few minutes of analyzing it, however, he succeeded, and carefully secured the strand in a small box.

As he left the room he realized the candles had already been lit, meaning dinner would be ready in a few moments. He didn't have much time, but he hoped it was enough. He marched to Snow's chamber and knocked on her door, also getting no answer. It was not usual for Snow to be out this late, but today, it was best for him that she did. He went straight to her makeup table, and easily got what he came for by taking it out of her hairbrush.

He closed the door behind him silently, and almost knocked Snow's maiden when he turned around to leave.

"I'm sorry" He said, as he held the girl do she could regain her balance.

"Oh, it's alright, Master William, I just heard Snow's door and thought she must have gotten back." The girls curtsied to him, when was leaving when he asked

"Where is she, anyway? It is not like to stay out when it's already dark"

"Don't worry, she said she was probably staying out until later today. But she is not alone, she took the captain with her."

William's face grew very serious at this

"The huntsman, you mean?"

"Why, yes, sir, the very one. Now if you'll excuse me, sir." She curtsied again and he barely reattributed the gesture. He walked to his room angrily, and slammed the door shut_. Out with the huntsman, until this late? This was an absurd! _He thought about going after them, but gave up when he realized that would mean causing a scandal to Snow's name. He decided not to have his dinner, worrying instead of finding the most difficult item on his list: a thing that binds them together.

* * *

Snow White sat on a rock gazing at the fire, while she waited for Eric to return. He had realized they had spent too much time talking and too little collecting wood, and it wouldn't be enough for them to spend the night.

Suddenly, she heard wood branches being dropped by her left, and someone coming over to sit on her right.

"Did I take too long?" He asked as she leaned on his shoulder. He felt her shake her head no and sight. "What is it, princess?"

"I don't know. I just feel…" She couldn't complete the sentence. She didn't know exactly what was it, but something didn't feel right. He put a finger on her chin and lifted her face.

"Tell me" She sighed even deeper, and turned to him, getting on her knees so their faces were on the same height.

"I don't know how to explain it, but all of sudden I just felt so scared. Maybe it's just because I'm not used to having all this nice things happening and I'm afraid to lose it. Afraid to lose you too." He cupped her face and stroke her cheeks gently with his thumb.

"You couldn't lose me if you tried, Snow White. I love you too much"

Her eyed brightened up hearing this and she threw herself at him, who promptly caught her in his arms and kissed her with all the love in his heart, as if it could somehow still the doubt away from hers. She moaned slightly into his lips and pressed herself harder to him, needing to feel the warmth his body provided. She felt safe in his arms, shielded from all the evil in the world, and she knew wherever she was, if he was with her, she was home.

He parted his lips from hers and traced them in her jawline, until they reached a very sensible spot behind her ears. She locked her fingers on his hair and leaned her head back, moaning his name. Eric groaned when he heard his name coming as a whisperer from her reddened lips, and knew his sanity wouldn't last much longer in this sweet torture. His hands traveled from the small of her back to her shoulders, and he pulled her slightly, already regretting was he was about to say after seeing her face.

Her eyes were semi closed and clouded with desire, her red lips swollen by their kiss were parted slightly as she took in the air, trying to catch her breath. Her long raven hair was thrown back and the firelight gave her skin a tone so unique she looked as though she had stepped out of a renaissance painting.

"Snow… we must stop" He looked straight into her eyes, and saw her frowning.

"Why?" she put a hand on his neck, caressing it slowly

He let out a small groan, and closed his eyes for a moment to compose himself.

"You are a queen now Snow, you have to protect your honor, or else people will talk."

"They already talk, Eric. They all wonder what happened during the time we were alone in the forest. They say all kinds of things I don't really understand, and no one seems willing to explain to me either." She how had lowered her caress to his chest, where his shirt was unbuttoned. He followed her hands with his eyes and prayed to God he could at least maintain his self-control until the end of their conversation. "Will you?" His eyes shot up to meet hers.

"Will I what?" he asked, lost in the yellow freckles caused by the light dancing in the depths of her eyes.

"Explain to me" She didn't know where that courage was coming from, but she didn't care. He wanted him, all of him, and she could tell he wanted her as well. And about the people, well, they would talk either way; she might as well just give them a reason.

He held her fiercely and buried his face in her hair.

"Girl, you don't know what you do to me"

She moved and looked into his eyes one more. She lifted her face and pressed her lips to his.

"Then show me."

And so he did. Launching forward, he laid her back on the quilt they would sleep in, while he kissed her passionately. They hardly ever parted their mouths, and when it happened was for brief moments to catch their breath. His hands went up and down her body, making her shiver. He cupped one of her breasts and caressed it, feeling her nipple harden even through the fabric of her dress.

Eric's heart pounded in his ears and his desire for her spread inside him like wild fire; still he tried to go as slow as he could, so he wouldn't frighten her. He ran his hands up her legs and beneath her dress and pulled it up to her torso, revealing her bare skin. He almost thanked her aloud for not wearing those complicated lady garments. He then pulled the rest of the dress of her, and looked down at her. She blushed, and tried to cover herself, but he held her hands back.

"Don't be ashamed, my love. You're beautiful."

His words seemed to relax her a bit, but still she smiled a little uneasy.

"What about you, huntsman? Aren't you going to undress?" He smiled down at her, and kneeled down to take his shirt. She gasped at the vision. She had seen him without his shirt other times, but the light against his tanned skin made him much more handsome. Her eyes continued to travel through his body, until it reach his pants, where his member was sticking out, making the fabric stretch. Her eyes must have widened, because he stopped unbuttoning his pants and called her.

"Are you sure about this? We can still stop now if you want."

She shook her head.

"I love you, Eric. And I want to be yours. Only yours and forever."

His heart swelled with love so he lowed himself to kiss her again. He finished taking his pants off and she could now feel that hard thing pressing onto her belly, and she felt and inexplicable warmth spreading between her legs. She bucked her hips forward instinctively and it made him groan and hold her hip on the ground.

"Don't" he warned, yet she didn't understand why. He seemed to have liked it. He took his hands from her hips and made him turn until he his back on the ground, and she was mounting him. He looked at him in a silent question.

"You've touched me enough, now it's my turn". He smiled, even though he had no idea how was he going to control himself enough to let her sane her curiosity. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths, trying to concentrate on anything but the soft touch on hers while her warm fingers caressed him all the way from his chest to his hip, stopping a few centimeters away from his swollen member. He opened his eyes and saw her staring at it, and then slowly run her fingers through it. When she closed her grasp around him, he was sure he was going to come right then, so he turned it her again and made her lay back down.

He used his mouth to tease her nipples while his hand lowered down the her center, tracing small circles around her clit that made her cry out in pleasure. He looked up at her, and saw her eyes closed, her face slightly pink. He slid a finger inside of her and realized she was ready from him.

He kissed once more and parted her legs with his knees, positioning himself and entered her until he felt the barrier of her maidenhead. She still had her eyes closed, so he called her name.

"Snow White" She opened her eyes, and focused on his face. "I'm sorry, love, but this will hurt a little, but I promise it'll be just this once" He sounded a bit anxious, so she only nodded and prepared for the pain.

He pushed his full length into her, and she dug her nails on his shoulders. He stopped moving, waiting for her to grow accustomed at him, and trailed small kisses on her face. She met his lips with hers, and moved underneath him, sending shivers all over his body. Eric could hold it no longer. He began rocking in and out of her in a constant rhythm that she seemed to soon learn. She bucked her hips forward to meet his every time he invested in her, and their moans just grew louder as he increased their pace. She was soon feeling every muscle in her body tense, and then relaxing as powerful waves of pleasure washed over her, making her tremble under him. Eric followed soon after her, his body arching into hers as he found his release, screaming her name.

He collapsed over her, worn out from the exercise, and she hugged him with the few strength that she had left. He managed to roll them so they laid on their sides facing each other and covered them both before they went to sleep.

Through the night, though they could not see, every fairy on the Sanctuary came to bless their union.

And the one who would come of it.

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**OOOOok, so let me know what you think, seriously, it is much easy writting when I have a feedback from you guys, so don't be lazy. ;)**


	3. Of Light To Dark

**A big speacial thank you to rjt040190, AnnaKathlyn15, Itzel Lightwood, LenaLove, nekochan354 and the anonynous guest for your reviews. they're all very much apreciated.**

**So, now the story is actually gonna begin, hope you enjoy**

* * *

As he walked through the palace hallways, William couldn't help the smile on his face. It had been easier than he though gathering all the items together, and now he had them all he could finally move on to the next step, the making of the spell itself.

He walked past the doors to the mirror room, and, making sure no one had seen him, closed the door behind him. He approached the center of the room, where there was some sort of altar made of marble. He kneeled down and took a metal bowl, placing it on the center of the piece. He then took out the ingredients one by one, and put them inside it. The poisonous mushrooms from the dark forest, his and hers strand of hair, and he sighed, taking the last item: a note.

Now, he knew a note wasn't something that really bound them together, but the feeling present in its content, however, did.

Love.

He had spent the whole night tossing and turning in his sheets, partly because he couldn't stand the idea of Snow and Eric being alone together somewhere and partly because he had no idea where to find the last item of the list the mirror had made. Then, when dawn was almost breaking, he remembered.

A few weeks ago, in a long council meeting, there was a brief pause for them to rest, and as he looked at her, he saw her writing something down and handing to one of the messengers, who simply walked until the other extreme of the table, where the captain of the guards sat, and delivered it to him. The huntsman read it quickly, made a face to her, and wrote something down as well. When the message returned to the queen she was beaming so brightly she had to force herself to keep from smiling the rest of the meeting. It wasn't difficult finding it on her office.

He had always wanted to know the note's content, and now he held it in his hands, he wanted nothing but to burn it, spit on it, rip it. Because in his hands, he had the prove of her love for him and his for her.

He unfolded it and read it for the last time, before tossing it on the bowl along with the other things. He covered it up as the recipe instructed, and left the room, smiling.

In the bowl, the mushroom started to make its effects burning and slowly turning to dust everything that touched it, including a love note that once read:

_My dear Huntsman, _

_I do esteem your opinions which is why I feel obliged to warn you that if you wink at me yet once again, I WILL throw you out of this council myself._

_Love, Your Queen_

_My dear Queen, _

_Don't flatter yourself._

_Love, Your Huntsman _

* * *

When Snow White and Eric arrived home it was almost noon. They went straight to the stables to leave the horses, and Eric instructed her to go inside first, thought the front door, and he would take the servants entry. She reluctantly obeyed, and they parted with a kiss.

She walked until the front door feeling lighter than she has ever felt, as though at any minute she would just fly away. The guards opened the doors to her after curtsying, and she walked past the long hallway in a haze until she bumped into someone

"Snow!" He called her once more, and she shook her head

"William" She smiled "How are you this morning?"

For a moment he thought she was being ironic, for he looked terrible. Dark circles around his eyes, messy hair, and pale skin. But one more look at her and he saw that was no irony. She was just not paying him too much attention. As if she was daydreaming. No wonder she had ran straight into him even though he had called at least three times.

"I'm fine, Snow. And you, I see, look radiant!"

She laughed, and threw her head back, which made some loose strings of her hair cascade around her.

"You're not the first person to tell me that today, I suppose a morning horseback ride serves me well" she said, as if explaining why she was arriving at that time. He knew it was a lie, however, since he had stayed up all night, waiting for them to come back. He smiled even though his eyes were serious, not that she would realize, anyway.

"Well, I suppose lunch is on the way. I'll go to my chambers to get ready. Bye William."

She bowed her head and left, distributing smiles at everyone she met on her way. He followed soon after, heading for his own chambers, not sure if he would endure yet another meal having to watch the two of them together. He gazed at the clock on his table, and sighed annoyed. Only fifteen minutes had passed. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

And, indeed, it was. Time dragged itself, and sometimes even seemed to stop, just to torture him. He stood by the room's door many times, tempted to go in to see if by some miracle the spell was already done, by he went away, knowing that if he did do that, he would probably mess up the whole thing, so eager he was.

He decided then to go to a walk in the palace gardens, only to discover that Snow and Eric had the same idea. He began to walk away from them, when he heard the huntsman calling him.

"William, hold on, lad" William turned around and put his hands back, clenching his fists.

"Captain" He hissed the word. He never thought the huntsman should have been given a position of trust, even after saving the queen's life; no, he should have grabbed his one hundred pieces of gold and go back to his village, where he belonged. He surely didn't plan on bowing to _him_ but Snow came along breathing heavily for trying to catch up with her huntsman, and so he had no choice. They both reattributed their bows, and Eric began his speech.

"I'm sure you've heard that my first man is getting married and his wife does not a prove of him fighting, even in a peaceful kingdom" He made a face, dismissing the nonsense of the wife's opinion, and Snow laughed slightly of him.

"Eric, just respect the poor woman, will you? She's just worried about her husband. I'm sure if you were designated for something dangerous I would-" She stopped talking as she realized what she was about to say, and they were not alone.

William cleared his throat "So what do I have to do with all of this?" he was trying to be sympathetic, but he knew that sounded impatient.

"Well," Eric scratched his beard "As the captain, I have to choose a replacement, and thought that since you're living here for the past month maybe you'd like to take the position"

William just had to hold back his laugh at this. Work with a mere huntsman, and as his _inferior_? Never.

"Oh, it would be quite an honor, but I was planning to go home. I believe I have important matters waiting for me there, but thanks for the offer." He bowed and left, without even giving the opportunity to Snow to question him on his sudden departure.

"See, I told you he wouldn't accept. Far too noble for that" Eric told her.

She frowned "He's acting very weird. He wasn't like that this morning_" or was he?_

"You mean, when a goat could have hit you in the face and you still wouldn't note its presence?" She laughed loudly at this, taking his arms on her so they could continue their walk. "I don't think you were a very good judge of character this morning, sweetheart. And either way, he might be on a bad mood today, he'll be better tomorrow, you'll see"

She rested her head on his shoulder. "Maybe you're right." She looked up to the sky and saw black storms clouds forming above them. "It's coming up a storm"

He looked up as well. "Well, then we ought to get you safe, huh?" He picked her up and carried her back to the palace, ignoring her protest and royal demands.

Behind them, thunders began to crash, disturbing the peacefulness that surrounded the land, and the cold wind brought the storm closer and closer with a silent promise: It was going to be a big one.

* * *

_Crash_

Another thunder, followed by flashes that lit up the whole palace. She usually liked gazing out the window, and seeing those brief moments when the lightning crashed and night became day. It was one of her diversions in the past, while she was locked up. But today, it scared her. She didn't know why, but every time she heard that noise it made her shudder.

_Crash_

She almost jumped out of bed this time. She sat up, still trembling and decided there was no way she was getting any sleep if she didn't make something about it. Since she couldn't stop the storm, she went to sought shelter, and found it standing in front of a closed window, his back to her.

She walked to him silently, like he had taught her, and wrapped his arms around him, and stood on her tiptoes to rest her head on his shoulder. He leaned his head on hers.

"Now I know it's hard to stay away from me, but didn't we agree on sleeping apart today, princess?" He mocked her, and planted a kiss on her forehead. She nodded, and turned him to her.

"I know it's dangerous for me not to sleep in my bedchambers after yesterday, but…I'm scared, Eric"

He hugged her tightly, as she did to him.

"What's this nonsense, now? I know you're not scared of storms, you once told me you even liked it"

She laughed wearily.

"I like it, but today's different." She let go of him, and started to pace through the room. "It's almost like it is announcing something and I don't like what I hear. And don't think I'm crazy, but I just can't shake off this feeling that something is going to happen"

_Crash_

She jumped and gasped, and in no time Eric was by her side, comforting her.

"Do you… do you think what you're feeling now might be due to what happened between us?" She hated the insecurity in his voice and almost slapped herself for making him think that

"NO! I'm sure it has nothing to do with it, believe me" She looked directly into his eyes. Another lightning bolt fell, and its light lit up the green in her eyes, making it impossible for him to resist her. He lowered himself until his lips found hers, and she kissed him back with all her heart.

She molded herself to him, moaning as he ran his hands through her body, stopping at her breasts, where he took his time, caressing it. He pulled her up, making her wrap her legs around him. He guided them to bed, and fell in it with her just as another thunder crashed.

She trembled, but this time not with fear, but anticipation. He took her nightgown off, and she helped him with his shirt. He finished undressing and continued to kiss her, traveling from her chin all the way to her belly. When he lowered himself even more she held her breath, making him smile. He held her hips firmly and tasted her until she was contorting and whimpering furiously on the bed. When he felt her tensing up, he brought himself up, and entered her slowly while she held him desperately as her body shook, and the pleasure washed over her.

He rocked in and out of her, and his rough groans combined with his movements made the tension grow inside of her again. She met his hips with hers as their rhythm got faster, and soon they were both screaming in pleasure.

He collapsed on her side, bringing her close with him, and touched her forehead with his own.

"Feel better now?" He teased, when he could catch his breath

She smiled, and held him while she closed her eyes to sleep

"Much."

* * *

It was still raining the next morning, though the storm had passed. William could barely sleep through the night and got off bed with the sunrise. He took a look at the clock and saw that there was still half hour to go. He cleaned himself, shaved, got dressed and took another look: ten minutes.

"Argh!" He roared, frustrated. He took the table clock in his hands and went out of his room, he descended the stairs and checked the hallway for any movement. He walked through its shadows until he reached the room of his interests and look at the clock. Five minutes.

His heart began to race. Five minutes and it would be done. Five minutes and she would be his. Five minutes, just five minutes for the rest of his life. He opened the door and entered the room and had to cover his nose at the terrible smell coming from it. He found the mirror waiting for him.

"Master William. How are you in this day?"

William ignored the mirror's question. "What is this terrible smell? Did something go wrong?"

The mirror laughed at him

"What did you expected? The mushrooms made it all rotten, that's where the smell is coming from."

He took one more look at the clock and saw the time was up, and his potion should be ready.

"Can I see it?" William asked, and the mirror made a gesture towards it, giving him space.

He got closer to the bowl, and uncovered it. The was a black dust instead of all the things he had put inside so he put it all in a small bottle he had brought with him.

"So I put it all on the huntsman drink, and he no longer loves her?"

"That is correct, my lord. You should, however, learn the consequences…"

"I'll deal with the consequences" he cut the mirror off. And before it could say anything else, William left the room, the bottle with the potion secured in his hand. There was some movement around the castle now, indicating breakfast was about to begin.

He had to keep himself from running to get to the dining hall, and when he passed the large doors and gazed at the main table he smiled. He was already there, sitting beside the queen, as usual. He strode to the table and sat himself down.

"Good morning, my queen, sleep well?" She felt Eric's foot rubbing hers under the table and choke on her drink.

"Quite well, thank you." She covered her smile with a napkin. "You look better yourself today"

"Nothing better than a storm to purify the soul, right?" He watched as the huntsman took a sip of his drink, wondering how he was going to slip the dust in it.

Suddenly an idea hit him. He lifted his finger to indicate something inexistent in the window, hitting the huntsman glass on purpose, and making its content spill all over the table. All three got up, and he began to apologize.

"It's ok, I'll just grab another drink on the kitchen." Said Eric, while cleaning some of the liquid off his shirt.

"Oh, please, let me, I was the one who dropped it on the first place" He haven't even finished his speech and was already half way to the kitchen. He did as he promised and poured the Captain of the Guards a drink, but incremented it, after he made sure no one was looking. He grabbed a spoon nearby and mixed it all together, praying the dust didn't taste as bad as it smelled or Eric would sure notice something was wrong.

He went back to the table with the drink in his hand and placed it in front of him, who thanked him and took the glass in his hands. William stood there paralyzed as he watched Eric drinking its content with apprehension. The huntsman made a face when he finished drinking and William thought that would be his end. Eric didn't, however , say anything. He just got up and balanced himself on the table.

"Eric, are you alright?" Snow asked him, already getting up to be at his side.

"I'm fine, I just" He passed out before finishing his sentence, and rose a great commotion around him. Everybody pointed and stared while William shook with fear. What had he done? Had he killed him? God , he hoped not, it was surely never his intention! He let out the breath he didn't even realized he had been holding when he heard Eric mumbling something as he regained his conscience.

"Eric! Eric, for God's sake, what happened?" Snow was now kneeling down beside him, using her hand as a pillow for his head. He sat down slowly, still a little dizzy and looking quite confused.

"Your Highness" He bowed his head down to her.

William smiled. It had worked.

* * *

**Don't forget to leave a review ;)**


	4. Of Two Lost Souls

**Just want to thank everybody for your reviews, I'm really glad you're all enjoyed it. Now I've seen that some of you didn't understant very well whatt happened to Eric after he drank the potion, I explained it all the best I could in this chap, but if there are still doubts don't hesitate on asking ;)**

**The verses in italic are from the so****ng Hunter by Dido.**

_If you were a king, up there on your throne,_

_Would you be wise enough to let me go?_

* * *

She still had her hand positioned in the back of his head, and stared at him, confused.

"What did you call me?" She asked, as if to certify she had heard him properly.

"Your Highness" He frowned, more confused than ever. She was his queen, right? His thoughts were a dazzle, disorganized, disconnected. As if there was something missing, and that something was the link that bound all of them together, but he couldn't remember it for dear life.

She swallowed, and nodded slowly, trying to understand what happened. She looked around and saw everyone still staring at them scared, waiting for answers. She got up and turned to them.

"He is fine, everyone, he just got up too quickly after eating" she dismissed it with a hand gesture, while the other held out in the air to help him get up. All the presents seemed to buy her excuses and smiled, some of them even saying it had happened with them too.

He took her hand slowly, a little unsure, and her confusion just grew. He had never been like that towards her before.

She didn't let go of his hands even after he was up, and instead of sitting down to continue her meal, she led him out of the dining room.

William, who had been watching the entire scene very quietly decided to follow them. That was weird, he thought. He was expecting the huntsman to be cold at her, dismiss her, but the man looked utterly lost. His apprehension grew again as he fallowed the couple from a distance, so he wouldn't be seen. He saw them going into her office, and waited until the doors were close to stand behind it, eavesdropping.

* * *

Snow White just let go of Eric's hand when they were in the middle of the room. She eyed him suspiciously and took some steps towards him, who withdrew.

"Are you playing with me? She asked, both of her hands on her hips

"I beg your pardon, Your Majesty?" She analyzed him from head to toe. He looked the same but was so different.

"Eric, what has gotten to you? Why are you acting like this?"

He didn't understand why_ she _was acting like that. She looked at him like she was expecting something of him, like he owned her an explanation, yet he didn't know why. He was behaving like he always did. He hadn't disrespected her, hadn't failed in any of his responsibilities on his position, nothing. And yet she looked at him with a strange expression, almost as if she was hurt.

"Your Highness, with all due respect-"

"Argh!" she cut him off, setting off in a restless pace around the table and shouting at him all the while.

"I swear to you, Eric, that if you call me Your Highness once more I will hit you. And I'm warning you that if this is some kind of game, you may stop right now. This is not funny, Eric, and I've had it with this" She stopped in front of him, her eyes a mix of fury and confusion. She was only inches away from his face, so he took two steps back.

"I'm sorry if I troubled you." She smiled slightly at him, but her smile faded once he continued. "And if you wish I address you by your birth name, I will, though I don't think it is the most proper thing to do. And I really have no idea of what are you talking about. I'm treating as I always did. As the friend I am."

Her face fell. She looked at him lost.

"Eric" she swallowed hard, as the tears threatened to come. "I really don't know what has happened but this is not who you are." She took one step closer to him "You never treated me like that once we got to know each other, and especially not ever since we've been together"

His eyes widened at the last part of her speech, and he too took a step in her direction.

"Since what?" He hissed, afraid to hear the answer. She looked at him with tears in her eyes, heartbroken.

"Together, Eric. Don't you remember?" She took his hands, and he looked down at their entwined fingers. She held him with such familiarity it wouldn't be hard for him to believe her words. But it couldn't be. She must be delusional.

"No, I don't remember."

* * *

William backed away from the door, and strode through the hallways, until he reached a room he now knew all too well. He opened the door and found the mirror in the same place and position he had left it, like it was waiting for him to com e back.

"He doesn't remember her? That's not what I wanted; I just wanted him not to love her anymore!" He shouted at the mirror as if it was its fault, even though he knew the one to truly blame was who it reflected.

"Master William" the mirror began, ever so calmly. "Their love comes from their story together. It now rests on his memory, and the only way for him to stop loving her would be if he had no record of any of it ever happening."

William cussed something, before speaking again. "But he knows who she is. He remembers being named for the position of Captain of the guards, and every other thing until this day!"

"Everything, except the memories of the moments where their love was built, or was already present"

William took in the information slowly.

"Is that the consequence you referred to earlier?" He asked, afraid that was still more things unplanned.

"Yes. And I must warn you to act quickly if you want her to love you"

William scowled at this.

"I can't act quickly, she'll need time."

"Potions like that can only be ministered successfully once, milord, and their love is something very powerful and neither of them are dumb. If you give her too much time she might end up finding out a way to end this, and then there'll be nothing left for you to do."

William considered the mirror's words. He hadn't made it all for nothing. Maybe the mirror was right and he had to start acting. He left the room without saying anything else and went to find Snow White.

* * *

Eric made his way up to his room and locked himself up once he got in. He couldn't stop feeling like a monster for breaking the young queen's heart. She had stood in front of him helplessly after he told her he didn't remember them being together, she began to list innumerous events that she claimed had happened between them, her eyes tearing up, and her voice failed when she asked him a simple question:

"Last night?"

He closed his eyes, almost feeling her pain as he denied it. He sat up on the side of the bed, and cradled his head in his hands. One of them was going crazy. He didn't want to believe he was the one, but the way she was looking at him, and all of those things she was saying… she couldn't be faking it. He grabbed the first thing he saw, the pillow, and threw it across the room in frustration.

He gazed down at his mattress and saw what the pillow had been hiding underneath: a thorn rag, stained on several spots, which he recognized immediately as a part of Snow's dress he had ripped on the Dark Forest, in order to make her walk better through their path.

He took it in his hands, thinking of any rational reason he would have to have kept that, not finding any. Snow's words echoed once more in his head and he sighed deeply.

He was losing his mind.

* * *

Snow sat on her garden, on the spot where she and Eric often met after their daily duties to relax. Today, she used it to comfort her. She closed her eyes and pretended he was by her side, but it was no good. All she could see was his eyes, before so warm and alive, looking at her as if she was going crazy; and hear the formality in his words, and the distance he maintained between the both of them.

So she cried openly, letting her entire body shake as waves of sadness washed over her. She kept a hand on her heart, the place it hurt the most, while she wondered restlessly what had happened for him to become like that suddenly.

She stopped her crying when she heard the sound of dry leaves being stepped on, and raised her head in time to see William arriving. He stopped when he saw her, and she thought what a pathetic figure she most make now. She wiped her tears at once and held her sobs back.

"Snow, are you alright?" he asked a little unsure.

She shook her head and tried to contain at least most of her tears.

"He…He doesn't remember me, William! I mean, he remembers me, but he can't recall anything of us together." She looked up at him and saw his expression tensing up. "Oh, I'm so sorry to speak to you so openly, but I'm sure you had already noticed that we are together"

He nodded slowly, hatting to admit it.

"I've noticed you two spend a great amount of time together"

She laughed. "Good. At least someone _else_ remembers it, other than me"

He walked until he reached the small rock bench she was sitting on, and knelt in front of her, taking her hands.

"Snow, please don't be like that, I hate to see you in such state" He made his tone soft, trying to comfort her.

"Believe me, I did not wanted this to happen. I actually don't even know for sure what did happen! In a minute he was fine the next" She had some trouble describing what happened "well, _this!" _ She looked up at him. "What am I going to do, William?"

He got up, and helped her to her feet.

"You'll be the strong queen your people has come to love and admire. And wait. He'll come around, give him time. But for now I think it's better for you not to see him, it might end up hurting you even more." He hoped she didn't notice the anxiety in his voice and breathed relieved when she agreed to him.

"You're right, William. Thank you for your advices. But if you don't mind, I'd like to go and rest now"

He bowed to her and she did the same and then left, leaving William alone to admire the beauty of the place and sigh contently at how wonderfully things were working out to him.

* * *

_For the crown you've placed up on my head feels too heavy now__  
__And I don't know what to say to you but I'll smile anyhow_

_I want to be a hunter again  
I want to see the world alone again  
So let me go_

* * *

They didn't see each other until the council that took place in the end of the afternoon.

Snow had taken William's advice and stayed away from him, though she often found herself standing in front on his door, using every strength in her body not to knock. She had to give him time to think, to remember. For she was convinced he _would_ remember. He couldn't just forget a love like theirs, and she knew he felt it as intensely as she did.

Eric spent the day in his room, with the old rag wrapped around his hand, trying everything he could to remember what he apparently had forgotten. He didn't, however, go to her. He knew she was the one who probably had the answer to all of his questions, but he couldn't stand the idea of hurting so badly again. He didn't love her like she claimed he did, but he did care for the girl. When he looked out at his window and saw the sun was almost beginning to set, he remembered the council meeting he had to attend.

He sighed. He hated council meetings. Those snotty little advisors of the queen's just never took much of his opinions in consideration, even though the queen herself did. He changed his normal clothes to his Captain uniform, since everybody that had a position in the kingdom should be dressed properly.

When he entered the room he saw all of the queen's advisors had already arrived and seated at the meeting room, awaiting Her Majesty's arrival. He took his place across and empty seat at the other end of the table, where Snow would sit, and joined the other in their waiting.

* * *

Snow cussed under her breath. She usually was the first one to arrive to greet the advisors, and a look at the clock told her she was already late by five minutes.

"Is this going to take too much longer?" She asked her friend, Greta, who was finishing doing her hair.

"Just one small pin…There! You're ready!" Greta was proud of her work. The queen herself was already beautiful, but when she took some time to dress up she became truly stunning.

Snow looked at herself in the mirror and beamed at her friend. "Oh, Greta, it's beautiful! Thank you so much!"

Greta smiled at her modesty "I didn't do much, Snow." And indeed, she hadn't. She had just taken the queen's long raven hair and french braided it, using some golden pins to highlight some spots. Her crown added a nice touch to it.

"Now, if you don't mind me asking, why did you decide to dress up this time?"

Snow wasn't really vain, especially not just to go meet her council. But she knew he was going to be there and so she wanted to look her best. Who knows? Maybe it would awaken something in him. She blushed a little at her friend's question, though, not wanting to reveal she was trying to seduce Eric. What would the poor girls think of her?

"I, um, just feel…inspired today, Greta." She got up before her friend could question her and took both of her hands in hers "Thank you very much for your help, but I've got to go now, or they'll start the council without me"

Greta just smiled and nodded and so she was gone. She picked up one pin that was left in the table and swirled it through her fingers. She didn't know what Snow was up to, but whatever it was, she hoped her friend would do well.

* * *

When Snow entered the council meeting room every man present held their breathes. She was absolutely ravishing. Her dress molded her body perfectly, and its cut favored her curves. She knew that very well and stood tall, pacing elegantly through the room while everyone stood to greet her. Everyone but him.

Eric thought his heart had stopped beating too when he saw her moving, for his breath he had lost when she entered the room. All the sudden her words to him didn't sound so absurd and he caught himself almost wishing them to be true. He saw all of her advisors standing up to bow at their queen, but he did not think it a very good idea because even though he didn't recall them together, his body seemed to remember it all too well.

She sat down at stared directly at him, so he bowed his head to her with a smile. She smiled to him as well and it was as though the whole room had lit up.

The meeting dragged itself as always, and all through it he found himself missing his old life too much, and kept asking himself why in heavens he had accepted this stupid position instead of going away. Every time this question came to his mind, his eyes darted at the queen, and her words came to hunt him again. He had forgotten how gracefully she resolved her council problems, and how angry she got when someone interrupted him when he was about to give his opinion, whenever this happened she'd pretend to listen to the man, then turn to him innocently with a glim in her eyes and ask: "What do you think of it, Captain?"

Upon seeing her now, he felt proud, and yet a piercing sadness ran through him. Because he noticed how her eyes were constantly looking for his, and how she smiled at him hopefully, as if he could get up at any moment screaming "I remember!"

After the meeting was done, he went to his room again and took a look at his axes and knives that were now neatly displayed in a wooden desk. He ran one finger through the blade and realized they all needed sharpening, so he sat down and began sharpening them, one by one, taking all the time in the world, for while his hands worked in the weapons, his mind worked in a really important question: Should he stay or should he go?

* * *

Snow White sat on a chair beside the fireplace looking at her bed. She had laid down to try to sleep but the bed just felt too cold and big for her. She thought of going to him, but everything was so confusing right now. She would wait until tomorrow to talk to him. She had just finished thinking that when someone knocked on her door softly.

Her heart leapt and she ran to get it opened. It was him. She couldn't hold her happiness back and threw herself at him, holding him tightly. Eric didn't have the heart to push her away immediately, but he did so when he saw that prolonging this would only cause her more pain.

He put a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her back. She looked at him and smiled getting closer to him, but he put a hand between them to stop her advances.

"We need to talk" He told her, and all the hope she felt building up inside of her vanished.

She motioned him to come in, and closed the door once he did.

She waited for him to speak, and once he did, she wished he had never said it.

"I spent a great deal of time thinking about it, and I decide it would be best for you and me if I left"

She never knew her heart could ache like that, but it did, and she had to steady herself on the doorknob so she wouldn't fall.

"Do you find my presence so intolerable now you're memories are gone that you can't even stay in the palace?" She asked him calmly.

His eyes widened and he denied it

"That is not what I said."

"Well then, do you find your position as the Captain unsuitable?" She tried again, beginning to lose her ground

"That's also not it, Majesty"

"Than what!" She shouted. She couldn't understand why he was leaving her, and most to her distaste, she felt tears coming. But she wouldn't shed them not in front of the man that was about to break her heart just as easily as he'd stolen it.

He took a deep breath and tried his best to explain to her the reasons for his departure.

"It's just that all of those things you said to me… They are very confusing. Now, I'm not calling you a liar, but your memories don't seem to match mine in any way. And I see that you look at me expecting me to remember these things I didn't even know I had lived, and it bothers me to hurt and disappoint you. Don't try to deny it, queen, I've seen it in your eyes"

She nodded slowly with tears in her eyes.

"Besides" he continued "This whole royalty thing, it doesn't suit me, Snow White. I'm a man of the land, a huntsman, and you're a queen, we're worlds apart."

"And yet we found each other." She said.

He quieted down at this and she turned her back to him, and wiped a tear away. Turning to him again, she took two steps in his direction and placed a hand in his heart.

"You are free to go, Eric, if that's what you truly wish. And though you do not remember our past together do remember that I love you. And I always will." A tear fell from her eye and she placed a small kiss on his cheek, breathing in his scent, to keep it safe on her memory. She let go of his hands and made her way towards the fireplace, making his way free for him to go.

Eric didn't know why but he suddenly felt the urge to stay. To stay here, with her, and take her in his arms and protect her from all the bad in the world. He thought it was only because she looked really vulnerable, so he walked to the door and turned the handle. The looked back once and said his last farewell

"Goodbye, princess" And then closed the door beside him.

Snow White collapsed to the floor, crying uncontrollably, and Eric knew that even if he lost his memories ten more times, he would never forget the queen's aching sobs that echoed in his heart.

* * *

**That's all for today, don't forget to review!**


	5. Of Mending Your Heart

**Thank you all for the reviews, and I just found out that I have this very evil side that likes to see you guys wondering and suffering over this hahahahahah. Oks, just kidding. **

**Hope you'll enjoy!**

* * *

Two months.

It has been two unbearably long months now that he had gone away.

The queen Snow White had changed. It was everything her kingdom talked about. She never failed her responsibilities, she was kind to her people and always fought for what was best for them; but anyone who had met her before the Captain's departure could see how the glint of happiness always present in her eyes had been substituted for one of weariness. There were now dark circles around her eyes, from the many sleepless nights she spent crying.

They had all noticed that, but she had always denied anything was wrong with her, until two weeks ago. She had gone to sleep fine and woke up with a very strange feeling in her stomach. She got up and went straight to the bathroom, where she threw up all the small amount of food she had managed to eat the day before.

This event kept repeating itself over the days, followed by many others. She now went to sleep earlier, and got up later, and often felt herself tired during the day, in spite all of the sleep she was finally getting. She noticed some modifications on her body as well. She thought her breasts to have increased a bit of size, but she wasn't much sure, and the only one she could ask that, wouldn't remember either.

She sighed at the thought of him, like she always did. She was sitting at the balcony of her room watching the sun go down, and looked down at her lap, where an unopened letter from the dwarves sat. They used to send her a monthly report about the forests, so she could control their states without having to take unnecessary trips to each and every part of them. Last month, however, at the end of their update about the forests and themselves, they wrote to her about the huntsman too.

"_Before you voice the names you have been calling us in your head, Majesty, we'll let you know that we met him by chance, in one of the village celebrations._ _And also before you get your hopes up, we'll warn you that he has not yet remembered. He is as fine as we believe you are, Majesty, and though he has was not drinking at the occasion, I wouldn't find it strange if it became a habit to him once more. Our advice to you is that you try once more to contact him. Who knows now that a month has passed things will be clearer between the both of you?"_

She had become restless after the first letter from them, and didn't go to find Eric just because William wouldn't let her. She smiled at the memory. William was just always so worried about her. She liked to think him as an older brother that was always trying to protect her from everything. In that occasion, he had reasoned that it would be dangerous for her to go when she wasn't at her best, and even though she didn't want to admit to anyone what Eric's departure had done to her, she knew he was right.

So he offered to go to find Eric himself, only to come back one week later saying the huntsman had refused to return with him. In front of everyone, she pretended she understood; in the solitude of her chambers, she cried like a little girl.

She looked down at the letter again, and taking a deep breath began reading it. She smiled on the feedback about the Dark Forest. They told her it was now visibly healing and that the darkness gave way to life. Non-poisonous plants and flowers were beginning to grow in the land and some people already ventured through it without fear. The forest where they used to live was glorious once again. The nature and humans lived at peace, and there was no trace of darkness in it. They told her the village was well and prosper, and once more invited her to the celebration that would take place in one week notice.

She reached the end of the letter and found what her heart wanted to hear: news of him. She straightened up on her seat and began to read Quert's unique handwriting:

"_This time, it wasn't by accident we ran into him. My father had a dream so we both set out to visit him. You must come, Majesty. You must help him. The man is completely lost without you. He says he is fine but we often caught him with a distraught look, his thought miles away from here. When someone mentions you, he becomes restless and quickly finds a cue to leave."_

She stopped reading for a while, because the tears wouldn't let her. When she resumed her reading she frowned deeply.

"_Father tells me to want you that the fairies in the Sanctuary are demanding your presence there as soon as possible. He also tells me to congratulate you on your state. He said you would understand."_

Congratulate her on her state? Her first thought was that maybe he was being ironic, but it wasn't at all like Muir. And he said she would understand, but she really didn't. She read it again and the part of the Sanctuary's fairies caught her attention. Maybe they wanted to tell her something, and that something would make her understand Muir's words.

Without thinking twice, she changed to a much simpler dress and put her boots on, packing her leggings and shirt. She put on her black cape, so no one would see her sneaking out at night and went down by the servants staircase. Dinner was about to be served, so there was a great deal of movement in the kitchen. She found Greta among the people and asked to pack enough food and water for day journey, and to hand it to her in the stable.

The girl did was she was told, and brought along one plate for her and another for Snow.

"So you won't ride with an empty belly" she told the queen.

"Greta, you're so sweet but I-" Snow didn't finish her sentence, because Greta shoved the plate in her direction.

"Now, don't you think I have seen how poorly you've been eating, Snow? It's a miracle you haven't lost weight!" They both sat down in wood benches to eat and talk. After catching up, Snow informed of her plans.

"I received a letter from the dwarves, and they told me the fairies in the Sanctuary call for me. I need to go there to find out what they want, but no one must know I 've gone there, do you understand?"

Greta nodded

"But what are you going to do, Snow? Don't you think people will notice you're gone?"

Snow was sure they would notice, so she just instructed her to say she went to see the dwarves in the village.

"And say I don't want anyone to come after me. Especially William." She knew how William hated when she went on trips without telling him, and she was sure if Greta told him where she was, he would go after her.

"Of course not, I know better than that." Greta made a weird face after saying that, so Snow stopped eating and asked:

"What do you mean, Greta? Do you know something I don't?"

Greta looked a little uneasy, but decided to tell Snow everything she knew at once

"Well, William has been acting really weird, Snow. And I'm sure you would have notice but your trust on him and your grief cloud your vision" Snow rested her plate on the ground, and got closer to Greta.

"Tell me"

* * *

It was already dark when Eric got home. It was worth it, though. He had sold out all of his hunts, but he still saved some for his dinner today. He opened the door and ditched all off his belongings on the floor, tired of the intense hunting.

His present house was nothing like the palace, but it suited him just fine. He spent most of the day out anyway, so he just needed it for eating and sleeping. He came near the fireplace and lit it up since nights were beginning to get chilly. He prepared his meal and ate a part of it, since he had had a generous lunch time at the dwarves' house.

He hadn't planned to go there, but when he was coming back from the wood he saw two dwarves strolling and he recognized them instantly as Quert and Muir. They chatted for a while and they asked him to have lunch with them. He was going to reject it, since he still had to go to down to sell the animals, but Muir said there was as something important to discuss with him.

The important matter, he found out later, was the queen. Muir asked him if she had gotten in touch with him later, or even if some royal messenger had come to him. Eric denied it, and the dwarf shook his head when Eric asked the reason he was asking him that.

"I just thought maybe there was something she wanted you to know"

For sure there was, he thought. There were plenty of things she wanted, needed him to know. Or better, remember, but he hadn't. He had tried. Every night before he went to sleep he took the fabric of her dress in his hands and prayed that something – _anything-_ came to him in his sleep, but nothing happened. If nothing, sometimes he even thought their distance made him worse.

He heard many things concerning the queen ever since he went away, and many times he thought paying her a visit, until one day, not long ago, William himself appeared on his doorsteps, telling him he was in an expedition to check on the lands and decided to pay him a visit.

He asked about Snow, and William asked she was doing wonderful. His answer didn't match at all with all the things he had heard in the village and when he questioned William on that, he dismissed it.

"They must be referring to when you left" the huntsman tensed up "She was quite distressed because she didn't know who she would nominate for your former position. But once this matter were settled her peace was once more restores, and honestly, I don't think I've seen her better than she is now." William lied.

The huntsman smiled, though he didn't know why a he had this strange feeling that something was wrong.

William left that same day, and he decided to give up his idea of visiting the queen. It was very clear for him now she had no need of him, and even though he felt relieved, a good dose of disappointment clouded his thoughts.

Clearing up his mind, Eric cleaned up his dishes and then himself, removing all the dirt from the forest. He put on his sleeping trousers and headed for his bedchambers. He took the piece of fabric again, but this time, he didn't pray he would remember. He just held it to his heart and slept.

Snow rode furiously while the wind hit on her face and her black hair flew behind her, mixing with the dark of her cape. The anger burned inside of her and she went the faster she could. She had never felt so betrayed in her entire life, and she couldn't even try to deny what she heard, for she knew Greta had no reason to le to her about this. William, on the other hand…

"Ya!" She screamed, enticing her horse to go even faster.

"_Tell me"_

_Greta shifted uncomfortably in her seat, and, taking Snow White's hand in hers, began her speech._

"_What I am about to say may be very difficult for you to listen to and believe, so please don't interrupt me." Snow nodded and Greta took a big breath._

"_Since I have come to live here in the castle I noticed William paid a lot of attention to you and Eric together. It was as if he studied the two of you, trying to understand it. He loves you, Snow, and wanted you all to himself. And I believe he didn't like the Captain for this reason." She paused for a while and then continued._

"_One day, I was walking past the forbidden room, and heard a voice coming from it. The door wasn't completely closed, so I peeked inside and saw William talking to mirror, Snow! And I know I should have left but I was so scared of that creature I couldn't even move."_

_Snow squeezed her hand slightly, urging her to go on._

"_They were talking about him, Eric, I mean. And they said something about casting a spell on him. I saw William glare at the door so I ran away and didn't hear the rest, and as the days passed and nothing happened I thought William had let it go until that day in the dining room."_

_Greta stopped talking, waiting Snow to take in the information._

_In Snow head, images flew around desperately, and things slowly started to make sense in her head: Eric smiling and playing with her, William coming in and spilling his drink, William bringing another drink for Eric, and Eric passing out to then wake up without remembering her._

She screamed a mix of angry and frustration. Now that she had it all so clear in her head, she didn't know how she could have fallen for this scheme. She felt disgusted as she remembered William trying to soothe her in her despair, and his fake advices, and the way he was treating her since he left, so supportive and caring. It was all a lie. Or at least born of it.

After a few hours of riding non-stop she reached the Sanctuary. She wasn't surprise to see the fairies had left a spot ready for her, so she thanked them, even though they were all asleep now. She thought about changing from her mounting clothes to her dress, but she was too tires for that. Besides, she smiled, she liked Eric's shirt too much. She picked up her sack and some cover and finally settled for a night of sleep.

* * *

_He looked at her sleeping form in his arms, and ran a finger through her delicate face. She smiled slightly and he kissed her forehead._

"_I love you, queen Snow White" He told her_

_She nudged at his neck, smiling._

"_I love you, huntsman Eric"_

Eric opened his eyes from his dream to see it was still night. It hadn't been a dream. It was a memory. He didn't know how he knew that but he was sure of it. He thought of getting up to write it down somewhere so he wouldn't forget, but he was so tired of hunting the whole day he just couldn't leave the bed. So he drifted off to sleep again, thinking of his memory, and hoping he could keep at least this one.

* * *

Snow woke up with the sun rising in the sky. She stretched herself and looked around to find herself surrounded by fairies. She sat eyes and rubbed her eyes to shake the sleep off, and the fairies came closer.

"Well, Muir wasn't joking when he said it you wanted to see me"

"Of course he wasn't, Snow White." Snow got startled when she heard this and turned in the direction of the voice to find a bigger fairy than the rest.

"I'm Gael, the queen fairy." She said, sensing Snow's confusion. She came closer to Snow and sat down beside her. "How are you, Snow?" While she and the fairy talked, the other fairies gathered around to hear, and slowly came to sit near them.

"I'm…"Snow was going to say she was fine, but she knew that was a lie, and the fairies knew better than that. "I don't know."

She told them the whole story with William and Eric, and the queen fairy put a hand on hers to offer comfort.

"Don't be like that, Snow White. We know you feel betrayed, but William acted out of despair. He loves you and wanted you by his side, and was offered an easy way to get what he wanted, so he took the chance. That's how evil forces act, by the person's weakness."

Snow sighed.

"I know you are right, but I can't find in my heart to forgive him just yet. Because of him, I lost Eric, and I have no idea how to get him back."

The fairy smiled and Snow eyes grew big. "You know, don't you? You know how I can get the spell undone. Please, you must tell me!" Snow kneeled in front of the fairy, and took both of her hands in hers pleadingly.

"I do know how, Snow. But fairies can't interfere with the humans life so much, which is why we can only give you one information at a time."

Snow exasperated "And what information could be of more value for me than that of how to break the spell?"

All of the fairies smiled and started to whisperer with each other.

"All I can tell about the spell is that breaking it it's simpler than you think, Snow. All you have to do is reattribute a favor Eric made you a while ago"

Snow frowned. A favor? She would have to think about it later. Shaking her head, she sat down again.

"Well, so tell me why was my presence here at the Sanctuary required" the fairy smiled sweetly at her.

"Snow, we had to bring you here because we were worried about you two. The whole kingdom is talking about your sadness and we had to see how you were for ourselves."

She smiled wearily.

"You know now how I am, but I can't say much about him. I received a letter from the dwarves saying he wasn't very well, but that's all I know"

The fairy laughed openly now.

"Oh, that's not what I meant! We know how Eric is, we meant the baby."

If she wasn't already sitting sown, she would have fallen from the shock.

"The _baby?_" She brought a hand to her stomach and thought about all those weird things she had been feeling. A baby would explain a lot, but it still caught her off guard. The queen fairy nodded still smiling and got up.

"I believe I've said enough, you have to go on your on now. But I'm sure you'll be just fine. Congratulations, Snow White" After saying that she went away taking all the fairies with her and leaving a luminous trace in the air.

Her words rang a bell in her head: "_He also tells me to congratulate you on your state" _So that's what Muir meant! She smiled in spite of her shock, and held her belly protectively.

"I'll get your father back for us. I promise."

* * *

**Review the story and receive an obrigado. If you don't know what it is you'll have to review to find out hahahah.**


	6. Of Finding A Way

**Thank you all so much for the reviews, they really help me to continue writhing this story. AND, as promised, a special obrigado to all of you. It means thank you in portuguese, hahaha**

**William didn't make an appearance last chapter, so this chapter is all for him. KIDDING. But he will appear though.**

**The parts in italic are from the song Grão de Amor from Tribalistas. I highly recommend it, as I really thing the lyrics suits their story.**

* * *

_Me deixe sim, mas só se for,_

_(Do leave me, but only if)_

_Pra ir ali, e pra voltar_

_(You'll go away, to then return)_

_Me deixe sim, meu grão de amor,_

_(Do leave me, my love grain)_

_Mas nunca deixe de me amar._

_(But don't ever stop loving me)_

* * *

Eric woke up with the sun shining in his eyes feeling better than he had in montyes. hs. He smiled and got up to prepare his breakfast. He didn't mind much when he burned his fingers while preparing some eggs, or when his beverage spilled all over him, and even laughed at how clumsy he was in kitchen.

He sat down to eat and wondered why he was in such a good mood today, and then it hit him. He had had a dream, a very nice dream. He tried to remember what was it about, but it failed him. All he was left form the dream was this sweet feeling that made his heart lighter.

He finished eating and got ready for yet another day of hunting. He picked his weapons off the floor where he had left them the night before, and put on his boots. When he opened the door, the sun greeted him spreading a most welcome feeling of warmth through his body, and as he looked at the land he could almost swear it seemed greener than it was yesterday. He laughed.

It was sure going to be a nice day.

* * *

Snow didn't leave the Sanctuary right away. There was something about the place that drew her like a moth to a flame, and she didn't want to go home just yet. She laughed sadly at the word. Home. Muir had told her once that home is where the heart is. When she was a child she considered the palace home, because she felt safe and loved there. But then came Ravenna and everything changed. She was locked up in her own palace and had everything she ever cared about and known taken from her. And the palace became a prison to her.

When she escaped, she felt liberty like never before, but was completely homeless. Damn, she didn't even have a shelter back then. Until him. When he came along everything changed; suddenly she had someone to count on, someone to protect and guide her, something to rely on. And every day they passed together just increased their bound.

She trusted him with her life, and felt safer with him than she would with an entire army surrounding her. Her affection towards him didn't take long to turn into a deep friendship, and then love. She couldn't specify an exact moment she had fallen for him, but it happened, and since that day he had become her home.

She narrowed her eyes to her stomach, caressed it lovingly and smiled. She never imagined herself as a mother, but the moment she found out about the child it was as if something clicked inside of her. She swore to protect him or her at whatever costs, for to love it she didn't have to promise. How couldn't she love something born out of her and Eric's love?

She got up and went to find her horse, which she left greasing for a while to rest, after all the work the animal had the previous night. She found it drinking water off a lake, with some fairies sitting at its back. She reached it with a few steps and caressed its face slowly.

"Gave you a hard time yesterday, didn't I?" The horse leaned in closer to her, and ended up wetting her with the nose. She giggled and pulled it until they were back on the road again. She gathered her things and mounted, heading decidedly to the way opposite of the castle, already feeling herself tensing up.

It was sure going to be an interesting day.

* * *

William was restless. Snow hadn't showed up on dinner yesterday and today when he woke up he discovered she was gone by herself to the village to see the dwarves with orders not to be followed. He, of course, didn't obey them. She was queen, for God's sake, and he didn't even want to know what would happen if someone found her all alone and unprotected.

So he went to the dwarves, but she wasn't there. They told him she just spent the night and left first thing in the morning. He believed them, and went back to the castle, trusting she would be already there. She wasn't though, and the thought that crossed his mind wasn't at all cheerful. What if she had gone to see Eric? He took his horse once again, but this time to go to the huntsman house. Eric was already gone, so he peeked through all the windows, which gave him a look of pretty much the entire house, but she was not there either.

He felt relieved and yet tense. He took a few turns about the village, and having no success, set off to the palace, where he waited and waited and waited, until darkness came and exhaustion won him over. So he had to leave his waiting for the next day.

* * *

Snow arrived at the village when it was almost noon and only then realized she didn't really know where Eric lived. She decided to pay a visit to seven friends of hers, which was already in her plans, and ask them.

She stopped in front of their house and knocked on the door, and in response heard a very angry Beith shouting from the inside.

"Don't these village people know it's not polite to come knocking on people's door at lunch time?" She giggled as she heard someone answer him.

"Lunch is not ready yet, so stop complaining and go open the door."

She heard a few more grunts and footsteps and then the door was yanked open.

"Good to see you too, Beith."

The dwarf's frown quickly dissolved into a smile, and he hugged her legs, the only place he could reach.

"Hello there, queen. See you finally decided to take our invitation"

She smiled as the other dwarves came to greet her and after finally speaking to every one of them, they led her to a couch.

"I'm so sorry I didn't come sooner, but you all heard what happened, and quite frankly I wasn't inclined to leave the castle. It was only after receiving your last letter I decided to go to the Sanctuary, and then stop by here."

Muir smiled at her. "And how was the Sanctuary, m'lady?"

Snow looked at him with a glint of happiness in her eyes.

"I think you know very well, Muir. By the way, you could have just told me!"

"Aye, I cloud" He nodded "But the fairies wanted to do it themselves, since they knew it before me"

The dwarves looked from Snow to Muir with a confused look on their faces.

"What happened?" Quert asked

Snow's hand went to her belly, already a habit for her.

"Well, I was going to wait to tell you, but I guess there's no problem. I…I'm with child"

Their reactions were completely different. Quert and Coll stoop up to congratulate the queen as Muir nodded his head smiling. Duir shouted his congratulations from the kitchen, since he was finishing lunch. Gort and Nion toasted to the queen's happiness with their beers. And Beith got up and got his axe, swearing under his breath.

"Beith, what are you doing?" She asked him wide-eyed.

"I'm killing him, that's what I'm doing. For impregnating you before marriage. I always knew I couldn't trust that drunken bastard-"

"Enough, Beith. I appreciate your concern but I do not wish him dead. Nor will I have him forced to marry me because of this baby. I am the queen, and though I know many will condemn my decision, I've decided that I'll only marry him- and _him _alone- when I find a way to end this spell."

"That's madness!" This time it was Coll speaking "That might take long! What if you don't ever find it?"

She swallowed hard at this. She didn't want to think of this possibility.

"Lunch is ready!" screamed from the kitchen. They all got up and sat around the table, putting aside the spell matter for now. I was a time for celebration, and of course, to discuss who should be the child's godfather.

* * *

Snow walked to Eric's house, after she learned it was only some streets away. She reached Eric's house in a few minutes and was about to go to his door when she saw William coming from the back of the house. Luckily, Snow acted quickly and threw herself behind a fruit car, hiding herself with the cape.

She waited there until they heard his horse going away, and then emerged from her hiding place.

"I can't believe that!" Snow was furious. She had given orders not to be followed and still he came to find her. And at Eric's house! She had had it with him. When she went back to the castle, she was going to have a serious talk with him.

She had, however, more important things to worry about at the moment, so she decided to put her thoughts about William aside for now. She concentrated on the house in front of her and took breaths to calm herself. She walked to his door and knocked. She waited for a few minutes and knocked again, but there was no answer.

"Where could he be?" She asked, and then realized how stupid her question was. Now that he had returned to the village he certainly must have had to return to his old job as well. She blushed a little for not having thought of it right away, but she just wanted to see him so bad it clouded her judgment and got to her nerves.

She wondered how much longer it would take him to get home as she analyzed the sky and saw the sun was already making its way down.

She thought about taking a turn about the town and then come back to his house, but gave up when she realized what a commotion she would cause. Not that she was bothered by her people, but if the word spread she was seen at the village, she was sure William would come searching for her again.

She looked at both of her sides, and after certifying no one was looking, tried the handle to his door, and found it unlocked. How fortunate for her! She stepped in quickly, and got rid of her black cape, fanning herself because of the heat.

She took a look around her and found his house to be quite simple, but then again, he didn't need much. Even when he was leaving in the palace he wasn't one for luxuries. She walked around the room, and found very few personal belongings of his, just some weapons and a coat hanging behind the door. She knew she was already wrong for breaking into his place, and shouldn't be wandering about his house, but she couldn't help it.

Being in his house, and around his belongings made her feel closer to him somehow. She continued her exploration through the house and reached his bedroom. She sat on his bed and caressed the sheets, as she remembered the many nights he spend by her side. She smiled and took his pillow in her arms, hugging it, and breathed in its smell. It smelled of him and she instantly felt her heart clutching for missing him.

She heard a noise coming from the door, and got up from the bed quickly and restored the pillow to its former spot. She closed her eyes and breathed in and out deeply, trying to calm herself, and then walked out of the room.

* * *

_Me esqueça sim, pra não sofrer_

_(Do forget me, so you won't suffer)_

_Pra não chorar, pra não sentir._

_(So you won't cry, or even feel)_

_Me esqueça sim, que eu quero ver_

_(Do forget me, because I want to see)_

_Você tentar, sem conseguir._

_(You trying out in vain)_

* * *

Eric got home still feeling good in spite of his weariness. Hunting today had been easier and the selling went just as good. He didn't really feel like cooking today, so he grabbed some food at the bar before he went home.

He opened the door and entered, when he heard some noise coming from his bedroom. He took a knife from his belt and prepared himself for the fight as he walked slowly to the place. He wasn't, however, prepared for who came out of his room. It was the queen herself! He dropped the knife and looked at her.

"H-Hello, Eric." She said, and he could do nothing but nod in return. She looked beautiful even dressed in a simpler dress than usual, and with her raven hair falling on her shoulders and moldering her face.

"Your- I mean, Snow White. It's nice to see you." If she wasn't so mesmerized by the sight of him, she would have laughed of his statement. He said it was nice to see her and yet had once refused to go back with William to the castle just for a visit.

She cleared her thoughts, and straightened up. She took two steps in his direction, and stood face-to-face with him. She put a hand on his face, and her gesture was accompanied by his eyes. She smiled and whispered his name, and then hugged him tightly. She knew she had missed dearly, and now he held her in his arms she asked herself how she was capable of staying two whole months without this.

He didn't feel uncomfortable by her hug as he thought he would, instead, he found it very easy to just hold and breathe in her scent. He was, however, very intrigued by the reason of her visit. She hadn't come to him not once in all this time they were apart, so he assumed that something must have happened.

She pulled away eventually, and looked at him.

"I need to tell you something".

He didn't know why, but her words made him think of Muir's when he asked him if the queen hadn't called upon him. He led her into the room and gestured for her to take the chair across the fireplace.

"You want something to drink, eat?"

"I'm fine." She answered.

"So," he started. "What is it you wish to discuss with me?" He stood in front of her and watched her as she shifted in her seat and played with her hands. She looked nervous, and it made his apprehension grow.

"Eric. I came here today because..." she paused and looked up at him. He leaned his head forward, motivating her to go on, but instead of continuing, she stood up and started to pace back and forth, without saying a thing. He just watched her, figuring it would be better to let her take her time.

Damn, she thought, as she paced nervously. She never thought it would be this hard giving the news of an upcoming baby to the man she loved. But then again, she never expected the man she loved to fall under a spell and love her no more. At this thought, she remembered he still didn't know he was under a spell, so she decided to tell everything from the beginning. She resumed her pace and stood right in front of him, and he raised his eyebrows at her expectantly.

She took his hands and led him to the chair she was sitting and knelt before him. He looked at her with a suspicious look on his face, so she thought it better to say it all at once. Starting with the easiest.

"Eric, yesterday I received a letter from the dwarves telling me the fairies on the Sanctuary requested me. I decided to go there immediately and asked Greta to bring me food and water in the stable." She stopped shortly to see if he was keeping up, and then continued.

"When she arrived we began to talk, and she told me something that William did, and this thing is what made you be like that, without a single memory of us."

He couldn't be quiet at this, and leaned in closer to her.

"What are you talking about?"

"A spell, Eric. William put you under a spell so you would love me no longer. I remember that the day your memory vanished, William brought you a drink from the kitchen, and I know now that the drink was adulterated. Right after you drank it, you passed out and woke up like this" She finished her speech holding back her tears. She had to be strong, for there was lot more to tell.

He frowned angrily and stood up to pace around. If what she was saying was true, and he was very inclined to believe her, both of them had been victims of a terrible scheme. The memories he had of William weren't those of a friend, but certainly not of an enemy either. Until now.

"Have you talked to him since you found out?"

She shook her head and told him she hadn't been to the castle since yesterday.

He was still processing the whole story, when she spoke.

"There's more, Eric."

More? What more could there be?

He went back to her side and knelt down beside her, since she wouldn't get up. He lifted her face with one finger and tried to encourage her to continue in spite his confusion.

"As I told you, the fairies wished to talk to me, so I went to the Sanctuary, and this morning when I woke up the queen fairy went to me. We talked a little and she told me that-" She looked straight into his eyes and took a deep breath. "She told me I'm pregnant, Eric." She smiled a little, and a tear ran down her face.

Eric looked at her for a moment, asking her silently what he didn't dare to voice. She nodded and another tear escaped her.

"I'm sorry you don't remember, Eric, but I thought you should know either way."

He nodded slightly and watched as her face became wet with tears. He took her in his arms, trying to soothe her.

"Shhh, there's no need to cry now. A baby is reason to celebrate."

She wiped her tears and looked up at him from his lap.

"How am I going to celebrate the man I love not remembering loving me, and now the child I'm carrying?" She had her share of being strong. Right now, she just wanted to cry her sorrows away and be comforted by him.

He looked down at her stomach and placed his hand on its top, covering all of it.

"We'll figure something out, Snow. But I promise you that even if I don't ever remember loving you, I'll love this child and I'll not leave you alone."

His words seemed to calm her down a bit, though they broke her heart. She couldn't live with the idea of him never loving her again, but she was glad he accepted their child regardless. She closed her eyes and held him close, with one of her hands on the top on his on her belly and prayed time stopped so they could be like that forever.

* * *

_Agora as noites são tão longas_

_(The nights are now long as ever)_

_No escuro eu penso em te encontrar_

_(In darkness, I think of finding you)_

_Me deixe só_

_(Do leave me)_

_Até a hora de voltar._

_(But just until you can come back)_

* * *

**Hope the song translation is satisfactory enough, I did my best ;) **

**Don't forget to leave a review!**


	7. Of Settlements

**Thank you all so much for the great reviews! they really encourage me to continue writting this story.**

**Now, things will get better from now (I can't keep them apart for long hahahha) but that means the story is coming to an end. Enjoy!**

* * *

William looked blankly at the wall of the dining room before him, his food untouched on his plate. It had been two days now the queen had gone away, and no one knew exactly where she was. Except for Greta, of course. The girl knew everything, but as the loyal friend she was, didn't tell anything to anyone.

A messenger from the village had come earlier that same day and handed her a message, and she just read it and told everyone the queen was fine, but would still be a whole week away from the palace. She told them Snow had given her council the task to keep things at orders until her return, and that was it.

He wondered restlessly where she could be, until it drove him almost mad. He punched the table, gathering the attention of all the presents, and got up to leave the room. When he was passing through the kitchen, however, he heard a girl speaking hastily to her friend.

"I'm telling you, it was the queen herself! She was dressed simpler, and had a cape to cover her up, but there's no mistaking her. She was in the village this morning, walking side by side with her huntsman…" the girl voice grew inaudible as she walked away, but William didn't need any more information.

She was at the village, with that huntsman bastard.

He had to act quickly.

* * *

Snow walked cheerfully through the villages streets, laughing as her people stopped by to greet and talk to her. It had been long since she had felt this good, and she knew the reason to her new found happiness was the man watching her carefully as she talked to a little girl.

Snow had come to the girl herself when she saw the poor thing crying, sitting on the floor beside a decapitated doll, which she soon found out to be the reason of the girl's distress.

"It was John. He got angry with me for breaking his wooden car and did this to Megan. But it was not my fault, lady. I tripped over that wire over there" the girl said, pointing at an extended wire on the ground "and fell right on the top of it. I even have a bruise to prove it!"

The queen's heart almost broke at the little girl's sobs, so she picked the girl up and took her to a store filled with dolls, and told her to pick one. The girl's eyes widened at this, and it took her a while to get rid of her inhibitions and finally pick a beautiful doll. The queen gave the salesman the money and took the girl back to the place she found her, where her mother was already looking for her.

"Anna! Anna, where are you?" The woman's cry stopped when she saw her daughter coming at the queen's arms, and a huge smile in her face.

Snow handed the girl back to the mother and apologized.

"I'm sorry to have taken her away like that, but a John boy ruined her doll and she was so distressed I decided to give her another one, I hope you don'tmind."

The woman looked at the queen astonished, and told her it was problem at all. She smiled and thanked her repeatedly, and after a few minutes walked away with the little Anna. The girl tuned her head back and waved the queen goodbye, which made Snow's heart warm instantly.

Eric had watched the whole scene in silence, a smile playing on his lips and admiration shinning in his eyes. He had always known the queen to be a generous person, but he thought her pregnancy made her a lot more caring.

He watched Snow bring a hand to her belly, and a nostalgic feeling took over him. He sighed sadly, making her turn to him with a smile. Her eyes sparkled, and the sun molded her silhouette beautifully, making it look like she was glowing.

He felt his heart clinging and a sudden urge took over him. He wanted his damn memories back. All of them, no exception. He wanted to know what it had been like being with her and having been loved by her and loving her back, because he missed it. He missed everything she had told him they lived, even if he could not remember.

An idea came to him, and he felt his spirits lighten up. He grabbed her hand, and pulled her hastily through the crowd.

"Eric, what has gotten to you?" She asked confused, as she tried to keep up with him.

"I think I may have found a solution for us, Snow White, but I'd rather tell you along with the dwarves." He didn't say anything else, but she could see a twinkle in his blue eyes and a small smile on his lips, that made her want to smile as well.

So she followed him as close as she could. Maybe if she got close enough their feet would stumble and once again their path would meet.

* * *

Down the road he went, as fast as he could, but it was never faster enough.

William didn't even think twice after hearing what the girl said. He went up to his room and changed his formal clothes to his mounting ones, grabbed his horse at the stable and headed to the village.

It was the second time in two days he went searching for her there, but he didn't mind. He would go after her ten more times if he had to, wherever she was, though this time he had to be more careful. The huntsman was with her, and even though William had the spell to his advantage, he knew Snow White wouldn't give up on Eric easily, especially if he was treating better.

He thought about what the mirror told him and wondered if he was already too late, if she had found an end to the spell and had gotten back together with her huntsman. He dismissed the thought, figuring if that was true, she would have probably returned to the castle with him.

He reached the village after two hours of riding, when the sun had already set and the habitants of the village had already retreated to their homes. He went straight to Eric's house, only to find it once more empty.

He frowned and wondered where the huntsman could be in a time like that. Certainly he would have gotten back from his job by now. The sudden thought of him and Snow out this late made William shake with anger, but he calmed down when another possible place for Snow to be crossed his mind.

He mounted on his horse again, and went to the dwarve's house, reaching it very quickly. He dismounted and was about to knock when a sight caught his eyes: through the window, he could see Snow, Eric and the dwarves gathered around the fireplace, talking cheerfully and laughing about things he could not hear. He watched as he huntsman began to say something and everyone turned to look at him. They all laughed after he spoke, and Snow kept her loving gaze on him even after everyone turned their attentions to someone else.

And then, it happened. A sight he thought he would never see in his entire life. They all got up their seats, their drink in their hands. The huntsman and the queen stood side by side, way too close to each other. The elder dwarf said some words and the world suddenly became slow motion to the following events. The huntsman embraced the queen with one hand, and the other came to rest protectively on her stomach. Her small hand covered his, and she looked up at him smiling, as everyone raised their glasses to a toast shouted in unison, causing William to hear those dreadful four words all too clearly.

"To the Kingdom's heir!"

He backed away from the window, breathing heavily. An heir. Snow White, _his _Snow White, the woman he had loved during his whole life, was bearing another's man child. He felt the anger boiling inside of him until it blinded him and made him no more aware of his inconsequent actions. He grabbed his sword, and with a scream filled with hurt and betrayal, he kicked the door open, and marched towards Eric, with every intention of ripping the huntsman's heart off, just like he had done to his.

* * *

Eric and Snow arrived the dwarve's house just in time for supper. Coll opened the door for them and let them in, and a silence installed upon the house once they saw the huntsman. They all seemed a bit unsure about how to treat the both of them together now, except for Beith, who stared at the huntsman threating, and soon came in his direction.

"So, you dare to step on our house even after you dishonored our queen. You truly have audacity, ye bastard."

Eric looked at the dwarf astonished. So, they all knew already. Good, he thought, breathing relieved, it wasn't a task he was looking forward.

"Beith!" The queen scolded him. "We have already discussed this."

The dwarf looked at her exasperated "_We _have discussed nothing. _You _have decided to wait to find a way to end this spell, which is of no good. You'll still be dishonored and left alone to raise this child. And all because of him" Beith pointed at Eric angrily, and he had to suppress the urge to laugh at the situation. He was being lectured by a person three times smaller than him because of something he didn't even remember doing. It would be hilarious if it wasn't tragic.

He took a step to stand beside Snow that looked at him apologetically. He smiled at him and said to all of them to hear.

"My friends dwarves" Beith scowled at this, but he pretended not to hear "We have come here today to try to find a way out of this mess. Now, It is true I don't remember Snow and I being… romantically enrolled, but I have promised her as I promise to you now that I'll not leave her and this child alone." He looked at Beith, who still looked unconvinced, and continued. "In fact, as we were walking here I had an idea. I waited for us to arrive here so everyone could hear it at once and see if it's suitable."

They all stared at him expectantly, and Snow laughed of their faces, in spite of her anxiety. She looked at Duir, who was once again cooking and for the first time noticed the delicious smell coming from the kitchen.

"Duir, any chance we could hear this idea of Eric's while having dinner?"

Duir checked the casserole in front of him and smiled at the queen.

"Well, you seem to have arrived at a good time, Ye Highness. Dinner is ready."

They went all to the table, and sat themselves to eat. Beith made sure to seat across from Eric, so he would get this idea of his correctly. They ate in silence for a while, until Muir spoke.

"Huntsman, would you care to share with us your plan now?" Seven heads flew around to look at him, but he took a particular interest at the one sitting beside him. He looked at her, and started to explain what he had in mind, hoping it would be of any help.

"I understand that you don't want to force me into a marriage just because of this baby, and that you insist that we should try to find an end to this spell, however, this might take long, Snow, and you don't have much time to loose. You are a queen now, and people expect things from you, and they will talk all sorts of things if they find out you are pregnant without being married."

He stopped for a while to see if the dwarves were following, and then continued his speech.

"It's not fair for you to be thrown in a marriage with a man that doesn't remember loving you, Snow White, you deserve much better than that. But it's also not fair for you to be judge by your people with harsh words and have doubts lingering over you because of this, which is why I'm making you a proposal: one week. We'll spend one entire week together, we'll try to end the spell and you'll tell me everything about us and at the end of the week, we marry. This way, even if we don't find an end to this, I'll know everything about our past, and have new memories of us together." He looked at her expectantly and when he saw tears forming in his eyes, he almost beat himself. He had made her cry, she must have hated the idea. He looked around to see if the dwarves seemed to hate it too and found them all pondering about it, with a smile on their faces.

Snow White had remained silent during his whole speech. She knew how hard this must be to him, so she thought it better to let him say it all at once. She heard him carefully and couldn't help the feeling of hope spreading through her, her love for him increasing with every word he uttered. He didn't love her but he still worried about her and was willing to marry her just to save her honor. She would have married him at that moment if he so wished, but found his conditions suitable enough.

One week was a good period of time for them to find a way to break the spell, and also time enough for him to learn about their past and create his very own memories. It was maybe even enough time for him to fall for her if she was lucky for it hadn't take her much more for her to fall in love with him.

When he finished speaking she felt tears forming in her eyes, and she thought that if now that she was pregnant she was to cry over every little thing.

"It's a good plan, huntsman, I approve of it, if the queen does." She heard Muir say. One by one, the dwarves gave their approvals; until it came to Beith's turn and thee room fell silent. He sighed deeply.

"Oh fine, I approve of it!" all of the dwarves cheered, and Snow felt her heart lighten. She would have followed his plan either way, but the dwarve's approval was important for her. She considered them all her family, and doing things with their support was always easier. She swung forward and hugged Eric, who seemed to have been caught off guard. She kissed him on the cheek and smiled brightly at him.

"It's a wonderful plan, Eric! And I approve of if, of course." He smiled at her and then at the dwarves

"Well, then it's settled."

Quert raised his glass.

"To the queen and the huntsman!" he shouted, and everyone followed shortly.

After that, dinner ran peacefully, and after everyone had finished eating, they moved to gather around the fireplace. Duir opened some wine to celebrate and they all spent some time talking and laughing and settling things straight for the week Snow and Eric would spend together.

"Well, finally seem like you have become an honorable man, ye drunken bastard." Beith said playfully. Eric laughed and they all turned to hear his answer.

"Now I thank you, my friend, but word has it the credits are entirely the queen's. It appears she healed me." They all laughed and turned to continue their conversation, but Snow kept her gaze on him. She always thought he gave her too much credit. He had, after all, saved her life just as well. She was lost until he came along, and brought hope with him, so whenever he told her she had healed him she smiled and thought that they were even.

And then, it happened. In a moment Muir was saying some words and they were making a toast and in the other an out of control William knocked the door open holding up a sword marching furiously to the huntsman direction. It all happened very fast, but she didn't even have to think. She threw herself in front of Eric, screaming for William to stop, which only seemed to make the boy more furious.

"Step away from him, Snow. This man has no honor, and has now taken away yours. He deserves to pay for this." He shouted. "With his life"

Snow didn't know how William could know about her and the huntsman, but that was what least mattered at the moment. She took a knife from Eric's belt, and took a steps towards William, who withdrew with shock.

"And who are you to talk about honor?" She shouted back at him and he lowered his sword, confused. "I considered you a friend, William, I trusted you, and you betrayed me!"

"Snow, I don't know what you're talking about"

"Liar!" She took more steps towards him, being closely followed by Eric and the dwarves, while William withdrew from her fury. "I know what you did to him, William, don't you dare deny it! You casted a spell on him so he would no longer love me, just so you had a chance to try to win my heart, even knowing it would make me suffer. You almost took away my happiness for selfishness, and you still have the nerve to come here to threaten him? You should be ashamed of yourself, William, for I certainly am"

William looked as though the ground had been taken away from beneath him. He had never expected her to find out about his actions and now he didn't know what to do. He looked at the huntsman, who seemed just as angry as the queen, his fists clenched by his sides. He thought about apologizing, but he knew it would do nothing. So he thought of the only thing that might redeem himself.

"I don't know how to undo the spell, Snow. But I know someone, or better, _something_ that might. And I swear I ask nothing more than your forgiveness"

She looked at him eagerly and told him that if he undid that, with time, she could forgive him. He breathed relieved and told them the only thing he thought could help them.

"Ravenna's mirror"

* * *

William, Eric, Snow White and the seven dwarves parted to the castle at dawn. They reached it after a two hour ride and went straight to the mirror room. The mirror, as William expected, was already waiting for them and Snow walked decidedly towards it stopping only when she faced it.

"It was a mistake neglecting you and thinking you would do no harm." She said, and the mirror laughed.

"It truly was, my queen, but you are here now –"

"Not to make amends" She interrupted him and came even closer. "You used William's weakness against him and gave him a spell for him to cast on Eric."

The mirror confirmed what she said. "And what can I be of use, my queen?"

"Tell us how to undo it."

He laughed again, which only increased her anger. William and Eric came by her side and tensed up just like her at the mirror words.

"I can give you the answer, my queen, but it will cost you"

"What do you want?" It was William who asked this.

"I only wish to be restored to my human form. I was a wise man before Ravenna imprisoned me in this form, and only you can break the curse, Snow White."

Muir came running to her.

"Don't do it, m'lady. Dark forces ate never satisfied, you'll be forever in debt to it. There ought to be an easier way to find the answer, m'lady."

She knew Muir was right, but answering to the mirror's plea would be just so easier. Just do want he wanted and he would have Eric back. She looked at him for a long while and slowly got closer to him, when suddenly she felt a strong grip on her arm pulling her away from it, and then the mirror crashing into a thousand of golden pieces that disappeared before even reaching the ground.

She watched as Eric removed his arm from his face slowly, his axe still in his hands, and ran to him, to slap him right in the face.

"What do you think you're doing? Why would you do this?" She shouted at him, shoving him shoving him hard on the chest

"Because" he said, dropping his axe to the ground to clench her fists. "I don't want you dealing with any dark forces because of me. We already have a deal, Snow, and I'll honor up to it." He said and let go of her, who now had begun to cry.

"I don't care about your stupid agreement and your honor, Eric. All I ever wanted from you was your love! And now you've ruined the most concrete chance I had of having it back!" She shouted at him "And now you'll be forced into a marriage because of duty, and I'll forever be a prisoner of this love I feel for you" She sobbed and for a moment he almost felt bad for having crashed the mirror.

"What if you married me, Snow?"

"Not now, William" she hissed so he turned her so she would face him.

"Listen. I know you're mad at me right now for all I've done, but think about it. If you marry him, you'll imprison both of you in a marriage that will only bring you two suffering. You'll suffer for being close to the man you love and not being loved by him, and he'll suffer for making you sad and will forever be haunted by the memories he does not have." She ceased her crying and analyzed his words. As much as she hated to admit it he was making some sense. But she didn't want to give up on Eric just yet.

She looked at her huntsman, and saw apprehension in his eyes, and so suggested one thing.

"We'll stick to Eric's former plan. I'll spend one week with him looking for a way to break the spell, and working on his memories." Eric breathed relieved. For some reason, the idea of Snow marrying William made him feel as though a dagger had been craved on his heart.

"But" she continued, and he had to close his eyes as he heard her decision. "At the end of the week, if nothing has changed, instead of marrying Eric, I'll marry William." She said, and all of the presents nodded in respect for the queen's choice.

* * *

**Oh, well, I just couldn't make William so bad in the story, after all, he was a nice fellow in the movie ;) Besides, if he is to possibly marry Snow he has to be a man of good character **


	8. Of The Past

**Soo, here it is! finally! I just found it a bit hard to write and I'm not really sure how I feel about it, but I figured I'd kept you guys waiting enough! :)**

**Next chapter... Won't promise anything, but I've already begun writting it so it might come out soon. Defnately don't think it'll take as this one, though. well, well, enjoy!**

* * *

They sat across each other in the garden's fountain. She had her hands clasped in her lap in apprehension, even though her eyes were soft and a small smile danced on her lips. He doubted he looked as adorable as she did.

He was already feeling nervous because of the whole situation they were caught upon, but after she appeared that morning at his door looking like a fallen angel, his anxiety triplicated and he suddenly felt like a clumsy boy who couldn't figure out what to do with himself.

"We used to come here all the time" she said, but she didn't look at him. Right now, she was entertained by two birds bickering over food. "It used to be our secret place. You opened a hole on a bush right there at the end of the path" she pointed in the direction of the said bush "to mislead other people so we could be alone." She laughed and he smiled back at her, though her speech made his heart beat rapidly in his chest. God knows why in heavens he had gone through all of that trouble just so they wouldn't be disturbed.

His eyes traveled instantly to her belly, and he couldn't help but to think maybe he had had good reason after all. He shook his head to change the direction his thoughts were taking, which caught her attention.

"Is there anything at all you want to know?" She looked at him hopefully and he almost got dizzy because of the thousands of questions that suddenly appeared on his mind. He tried to formulate just one, but they were so many he didn't even know where to start. He looked at her and had an idea.

"Would you mind telling me our story, Snow White?"

She smiled. Ever since she prohibited him of calling her 'Your Highness', he has been calling her by her full name. She thought it was because he found it more formal than calling her just Snow, but when she asked him he told her he thought it sounded better.

"Not at all, Huntsman Eric"

* * *

She sat on her chair, facing the fireplace, so he could only see one side of her face. One tear stained side.

He took a few steps towards her, and opened his mouth to speak, but she was faster.

"You were the first friend I have ever had." She spoke quietly, but decidely. "And I loved you dearly. I could trust my life in your hands, no questions asked, and believe it would all be right." She turned to him and looked at him deep in the eyes. "How could you do this to me?"

There was no anger in her voice, just hurt and confusion, which only drawned him even more in his guilt.

"Snow..." He said, but his lost stare found hers, and he fell silent.

"I could never expect this from you, William. It is worse than a betrayal. It's like beeing stabbed. In here" she cluntched her fist in her breast, on the heart level. She lowered her now tear shimmering eyes and a single tear fell on her lap. "I guess it could only be worse if I still had a heart to feel it"

His head shot up. "What do you mean?"

She took her fist off her torso, and revealed a empty black hole where her heart was supposed to be. His mouth dropped open, but he could manage no sound.

He had done this to her. Him. It was all his fault. His head began to spin and his heart increased its pace, and suddenly the pain he felt on his soul somehow transfered to his physical state as the darkness embraced him, and he was gone.

* * *

No way.

It was all Eric could think about while Snow White went on and on with their story.

There was no way in hell he was the one to make the first move. He was beneath her, she could have had him killed for that.

According to her, they got together the day they spent making the first round throught the kingdom. It had been about a week after Ravenna was defeated but he hadn't yet taken her invitation to be the Captain and stay in the castle for good.

She said during the round, he met a bunch of friends from the village and she noticed he was very happy to see them; and for that reason, she ended up supposing he hadan't taken her invitation because he didn't have the intention to stay with her.

She distancied herself from him the rest of the day, and when he confronted her about it, it somehow turned into a big argument which ended right after she confessed the reason of her beeing so upset.

He laughed at her, which of course only made her even more furious. But it all faded away, when he declared his love and loyalty to the young queen, and sealed his statement with a kiss.

Outrageous.

And what to say of the day they got soaked after she climbed a tree right above the lake and he had to go up himself to force her down? Both of their weight was too much for the tree branch, and they ended up falling in the water, and having to wait one whole hour behind the stables, where it was still a bit sunny, so they could enter the castle without raising any suspects.

An absurd.

Snow, of course, found it all hilarious. Especially the look on his face whenever she had finished telling each story. Sometimes, she would exaggerate a certain part of it, or even invent it, just to see his reaction, but then ended up telling him what did happen.

While she was catching her breath after laughing so hard at him (yet again), he took the time to put his thoughts in order. Of all the things she described to him, he could not remember one. Not one.

And yet... At each and every story, this certain feeling crept upon him. He didn't really know how to describe it, but it made his heart warm up, and the corners of his lips tug up involuntarilly. And all the thigs she said were so detailed, and so specific, he doubted anyone could lie so well about that much without falling in contradiction at least once.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when she sighed.

"You must be bored. I've been speaking for hours now" she said and looked at him with a soft smile.

"Not at all. I'm actually..." How was he?

She chukled. "Too much information, right?"

He nodded. "A little."

She nodded too, got up and held her hand for him to take it.

"Come on, you've heard enough for today. If we carry on you might also forget what I just told you." She smiled and he slowly took her hand, taking a few seconds to apreciate how small and delicate her hands looked surrounded by his, before getting up himself.

She also looked at their joined hands, and for a minute seemed far away and then she spoke almost to herself:

"You used to make fun of how small my hands are, especially when you had them in yours."

He squeezed har hand slightly and she looked up t him and smiled.

"Let's go to the lake!"

* * *

"OOOww" William moaned. Was it possible that the pain he felt in his dreams tranfered to real life? Or maybe that wasn't a dream. No, that was not an option. Snow had a heart, he knew it. He was very much sure, because he had been the one responsible for breaking it.

But then what was this constant pain in his head? And, was he...moving?

He opened his eyes slowly, and when his sight foccused he found Beith standing right in from of him with his axe, only he was backwards. Or...?

"Oh, hey there, mate. We've been waiting for you to wake up." The dwarf said "How's yer head by the way?"

"Sore" the boy aswered.

"Good." He turned his head to call for Coll and Duir. "Cut him down. Let's get the fun started."

"Fun? Woaah"

Coll cut the rope that held William up in a tree abruptly, and the boy fell on his alredy injured head. The three dwarves took advantage of this and put him seated against the tree, to which he was then tied to.

"What? What is happening?" William asked, absolutely lost.

"Hush, boy. You'll only speak when it is requested." said Duir.

"Now, you didn't think you were going to do that to the queen and get away with only an excuse, did you?"

William opened his mouth to reply, but was shut down again, this time by Beith.

"You, boy, have brought disgrace upon this kingdom with your childish acts. And I hope that you are praying as fiercely as the rest of us are for the huntsman to regain his memory! Have you imagined the disaster it is going to be if he doesn't? Have you even for a minute considered what this irresponsilitily could do to the queen?" Beith finished his speach inches away from William's now pale face and received no response.

"Well, have you?!" he shouted nd William was about to remind them of the agreement when the dwarf's sentence echoed in his mind, and for the first time he actually began to ponder his actions.

Had he really considered what could this do to Snow White?

No. Said his concience. the mirror warned of the consequences, you heard nothing of it, so focused you were in your own selfishness.

He looked at Duir, Coll and Beith, all three standing with threatening looks in front of him, and sighed.

"I know now that what I did was not only irresponsible, but wrong. And if I could, I'd undo it, but the only thing I thought could help us, is now broken. What will you have me do?"

The dwarves smiled.

"Put him to sleep again." Said Beith. "We're going on a little journey".

* * *

It was easy finding the boat she claimed they had hidden for their use only, it was equaly easy pushing it over the water. He didn't even had to make an effort to ride the boat through the lake, but he almost couldn't stand seeing the longing look Snow had on her eyes as she stared at the infinite.

They had talked, and made jokes, and got suprisingly along together. But he was a good huntsman, and he knew how to notice even the smallest details like the anxiety hidden in her calm tone, and the constant searching-for-approval looks she gave him. He also noticed that not just once her hands made their way towards him, only to stop in the air and go back to its original place, bringing a hint of melancholy to the queen's beautiful features.

"Eric?" she turned to face him and he saw her eyes were watery.

"What is it, Snow?" he answered gently.

"If you... If you don't ever regain your memory, can you do me a favor?"

He already felt his heart clentching at her words, but decided to nod either way

"Would you consider moving back to the palace? You don't even need to take any position if you wouldn't like it, I just really wanted you around. I guess it would make me feel better, and..." she stopped for a while, feeling her throat burning with the unshead tears. "It would give you the opportunity to see your child grow, participate in its life." a tear pontuated the end of her speech, and Eric closed his eyes for a minute, hating beeing the one to cause her pain.

He took a dramatic look around and then smiled at her

"Well, it's not really what I'm used to, but I guess I could be happy here" He winked at her and she smiled, only to then jump at him and giving him a hug. He embraced her tiny form and burried his head on her hair, and for one moment everything felt right, even when it all was going wrong.

* * *

**R for review! E for eview! V for view! I for iew! E again! and W! what's dat spell? Just please review, plz.**


	9. Of Remembering You

**First of all, I'm soooo sorry for the hiatus! There's been a lot of holidays in Brazil lately so I've been a bit busy. Thank you all for not giving up reading and sending reviews and messages, they're all really appreciated! Annnd now, what you've all been expecting...**

* * *

The Royal Wedding would take place in a week, Sunday morning, in the castles garden. And right after it has been anounced, two days after the queen's arrival from a surprise round in the village, it has become the center of all kingdom's attention. Especially for one detail: no one knew who was to be the new king.

There were many especulations. Some thought it was only natural that Snow married William, since he was also royalty and they knew each other from infancy. Others thougth it ought to be the former Captain, who misteriously returned after a some time away, and right in time for the wedding.

"There were even rumors the groom is from a far away land, and that the marriage had been setled on your birth." Greta let out a small laugh after she finished reading the new article about the queen's wedding on the paper.

Snow laughed as well.

"They just won't give up, will they?"

Greta shook her head no. "But it is only because they care about you. They are all woried that you'll take for a husband someone you barely know and end up like-" Greta stopped talking when she realized she where she was going.

Snow looked at her softly

"And end up like my father, right?"

The girl gave Snow a simpathetic smile and got up from her chair to sit besides Snow on the bed.

"How's Eric doing?"

The queen looked down sadly and started to play with her hands while she spoke.

"Nothing yet. Sometimes I think he's going to come around, but then..." She looked up, hopeless "I guess I just have to accept he'll never remember anything, Greta. It's been five days now, we've only got one more day until the wedding, and I've run out of ideas to try to make him remember."

They sat in silence for a while, but then Greta spoke.

"If you don't mind me asking, have you tryed anything with him?"

Snow looked at her with a weird look on her face.

"But I just told you I did!"

She smiled. "No, Snow, I meant, have you tried a more... intimate approach?"

Snow's eyes grew big "you're kidding, tight? He jumps half a mile when I touch him, how am I going to go any further?"

"I'm just saying! Who knows? It wouldn't be the first time a spell's been lifted because of a kiss."

Snow laughed at her friend's crazy ideas "Well, at least you're here to cheer me up!" she laughed more.

Greta lughed too, and when they were both finished, she got up.

"Well I'm going now, you should try to sleep. You'll need to look your best tomorrow."

Snow agreed with her and settled herself on bed, and when Greta was about to close the door she remembered something, and called for her friend.

"Still no news of William and the dwarves?"

"Nohing yet, Snow. I'll let you know if they show up."

Greta closed the door and went away, leving the young queen to her own dreams.

* * *

Beith slammed the door closed behind him, rather irate.

"Well, now what?" He spoke to the Duir and Coll, but it was William's timid voice that answered.

"There are rumors of a whitch in the next village, we could - Ouch!"

Coll slammed his hammer on William's foot, and though he was tired of getting beaten up by people half of his size, he couldn't find it in him to fight back. Deep down, he felt like he deserved it.

At first, when the dwarves kidnapped him to try to find a way to end the spell, he was happy for actually doing something to help Snow. They went from village to village, searching all kind of witches, gypsies, fortune tellers or anything that could help them, but they all gave them the same answer: there was nothing they could do for them.

The last one however, added a small detail:

"His love for her, it is still in his heart, and it shall remain there forever, as well as her love for him. All they have to do is find a way to awake it"

They thanked and left her cottage, back to where they started. Duir scratched the back of his head and spoke:

"Let's face this, Beith, there's no way. We've been traveling for days now and have not yet found a solution. Maybe we should go back to the palace. Who knows the queen have found her own way already."

Beith sighed, feeling defeated. "You're probably right. Besides, the wedding is in two days, we have to be there. Come on, brat."

Beith passed trought William, hitting him with his clave once again. Not that the boy noticed, tough.

Two days.

If the spell couldn't be reversed that would mean that in two days time he would be Snow White's husband, and king of Tabor.

A warm feeling started to spread in his heart, until he remembered Snow's eyes every time she looked at Eric, and how terrible she'd been those two months they were apart. It would make him the happiest man alive to become her husband, but it would tear him apart knowing that would also cost her happiness.

"Are ye staying, brat?" Coll shouted, which pulled William out of his thoughts.

Mounting the horse, he followed the dwarves to the castle, to aknowlege his fate.

* * *

Snow tossed and turned in her sheets all night long. She couldn't stop thinking about what her life, and her child's, would be like if Eric didn't come around in the remaining time, which meant, she tought wearily, one day.

She had one day to succeed in what she hadn't in almost a week, and that didn't cheer her up at all.

Groaning, she sat up in bed, putting her head in her hands.

She got up and went to the counter bracing herself because of the night's cold air. She could hardly see a thing, except for a few torches by the gates and the silver moonlight covering the trees. The glowing light somehow calmed her, so she closed her eyes and started to hum a random lullaby she couldn't remember where she had heard, but soothed her nevertheless.

She started swaying back and forth slightly as the lyrics of the song came to her, and she sang it almost inaudibly while holding her belly.

_"I left my baby lying there_

_Lying there, lying there_

_I left my baby lying there_

_When I went to gather blaeberries_

_Ho bhan ho bhan haithri o ho _

_Haithri o ho, haithri o ho _

_Ho bhan ho bhan haithri o ho _

_When I went to gather blaeberries"_

Oh, well his memory wasn't that rusty afterall, thought Eric.

He had managed to remember the lyrics to the lullaby his mother used to sing to him, while they were still in Scotland. That must have been, what? At least 25 year ago. Though he didn't know why, he had the strange feeling he had heard it recently.

While he was putting his pen down he heard a knock on his door, so he put his breeches on and went to open it. He froze on the spot when he saw the queen herself, dressed up in male pants and an oversized shirt that looked suspiciouslly familiar, riding boots and a very anxious look on her face.

"Did I wake you?" she asked and he shook his head no.

"Good" she answered and walked past him into the room. He closed the door behind her, and walked to his bed, where she was now seated.

"Is there anything wrong?" He asked her.

She almost laughed at his question. Was there anything _right?_ She just smiled instead and shook her head slightly.

"It's just that, tomorrow-well, _today_ is our last day together, and honestly, I don't think I'll be able to get you your memory back"

"Don't say that, Snow" He interrupted her, only to be interrupted himself.

"Just let me finish" She said.

He took a deep breath and obliged.

"I don't think I'll be able to make you remember, as I've already ran out of options. There's just nothing left fot me to do, Eric!" She got up and kneeled in front of him "If this is my last day with you before I'm married to another man and everything is turned upside down, I don't want to spend it in despair, running against time trying to find a way, only to end up frustaded for not making it and not having enjoying my time with you."

He opened his mouth to protest, but she was faster.

"Which is why I'm here to take you away. To the only place I've found true peace: the Sanctuary. That's where I want us to spend today." she said

He nodded

"Ok, We'll meet on the stables at 7am, is that alright?"

She smiled at him sweetly.

"Today started four hours ago, Eric, and I'm not willing to waste anymore time. Besides, I don't want anybody to see us leaving. Come on, I've already packed everything we need"

"You mean we're going now?" He asked incredouslly.

"We should be there already." She laughed as she closed the door.

* * *

It had been an hour since they had left the palace now. It was still dark, so they rode carefully.

There was nothing but nature sound around them, nothing but darkness. Then suddenly, Eric began to hear horses aproaching. they came at high speed so he could only assume it was thieves running away.

He told Snow to be quiet and dismounted, taking she and the horse to a hidden spot on the outside the road, so when the thieves passed, they did not see them.

Eric waited a few minutes before finally bringing the horse back to the road, beeing followed closely by Snow.

"How many were there?" she asked

"Four" He answered, while helping her mount "It's weird they chose this road to escape. The fields near the castle are quite illuminated and they will have to pass it by"

"Well, maybe they weren't thieves, they could be just village people"

"Let's hope" he said, as he mounted and carried on their journey.

Thankfully, the sun rising only made it clearer and therefore easier fo them to make it throught their path.

When they finally made it there, they were both exausted. Snow, who now got more tired than usual,almost slep while mounting. The Huntsman somehow find some lingering energy to carry her off the horse gently and then to a nerby tree where a sort of nest was settled. He wondered for a minute if Snow and him would have some kind of history there, but tireness got the best of him, so he layed them both down and finally got some sleep.

* * *

The four riders arrived the castle around 6am. They were all equally worn out, though William had some extra bruises the others didn't. Greta heard their noises when they reached the bedrooms floor and ran to them, hope in her eyes.

"You're all here!" she said, but her smile soon faded with the bad news.

With a sigh, Beith took off his hat, and told the girl of their unsuccesful task. "By the look on your face, I can see he haven't remembered anything yet, tight?"

She too, sighed, while nodding.

Hopeless and exausted, all of them parted their sepated ways into the bedchambers, praying that in he remaining day a miracle would happen.

* * *

When Snow woke up, it was already midday and the sun shone brightly up in the sky. She looked around at the same moment Eric was returning, his hair dripping wet.

"Hey there, Sleepy Beauty"

She smiled and sat up.

"Aarg, you're always messing things up. I'm Snow White." she laughed and so did he.

"Why are you all wet?"

"Just refreshing a bit in this pond I found." he said, pointing at the said pond's direction "I can take you there if you want"

She gave him a weird look. "I know where it is, Eric. We go there every time we come here."

"Oh" he said, and the surprised look on his face gave way to embarrassment. "The last memory I've got from this place is the one before the battle."

When he said that, her eyes grew wide and she got up quickly.

"Of course it is! God, I completelly forgot" she smiled. "Come on, I'll show you the Sanctuary around, you won't regret it"

And indeed he didn't. Every inch of that place was magical, and Snow's obvious adoration and ethusiasm made it all even more worth it. Of course, not beeing chased around by an evil queen's army also made it all better.

They spent the entire day there, with no worries whatsoever. Eric could actually feel himself relax and it showed on his acts. He wasn't holding back anymore, instead, he laughed more and found it easier to respond to Snow's proximity.

With the sun setting, however, Snow White begun to grow sadder by the minute. That was the last time she would see the sun going down as a single maiden. She let out a bitter chuckle.

She had always thought her wedding day would be the happiest of her life. That in that one day, she would finally left years of loneliness behind to become a part of a whole, bound by love. She had also thought she would marry Eric. She knew now both options weren't going to happen.

Tomorrow she would stand at the altar and agree to spend the rest of her life with William, and there was nothing to be done about that. Except, of course, crying.

Eric always hated to see people crying. It usually made him umcomfortable and wish to go away. This time was different. He felt his heart heavy at the sight, and wanted nothing more than to stay by her side and steal her sorrows away.

Snow felt strong arms encircling her, and the huntsman voice trying to soothe her, but she couldn't stop. So she cried and cried, barely noticing when Eric pushed her down with him and held her tightly against his chest. He stroke her hair slightly, still conforting her with words that made her drift far away in sleep.

When she woke up, the moon was high in the sky and Eric was sound asleep by her side. She noticed he had made a fire for them which allowed her to see him inspite the darkness. She got very close to him and caressed his face tenderly, a longing look in her face.

"What a mess we got ourselves into. Except this time you're the troublemaker, how about that?" She smiled at his sleeping form, and even though she got no response, she kept going, her eyes teraing up again. "I never thought I'd have to imagine my life without you in it, and yet here I am, in the eve of my wedding day with another man. Thank God, I won't have to do this alone. I've got a part of you with me." She said, caressing her belly. "Just know, no matter what happen from now on, I'll be forever yours. Not that I have a choice, really. You're a damned good huntsman. The queen sent you out to take my heart and you did, to keep it to yourself." She said and not resisting anymore, pressed her lips to his, one tear rolling of her eye to land on his cheek. "I love you, Eric."

She got up and gathered her things, prepared her horse and went away.

* * *

_"They all said it was true love's kiss that broke the spell" she said. "I don't believe it"._

_"Oh no?" he laughed._

_She shook her head. "William kissed me. But you are my true love. Do you see he problem?"_

_He stopped in front of her, took her face in his hands and smiled at her._

_"When you were laying there... Well, I still hadn't accepted it all, so I stood by your side, mourning and drinking, and when I said my final goodbye, I kissed you. A few minutes later you came out of the room to instigate the masses." he finished and winked at her._

_Her whole face lit up and she threw herself at him, laughing wildly as he swirled her around._

Eric woke up with a start, and sat up on the floor where he had slept on. He looked around hastly praying to find Snow white still there, but a look on his solitary horse told him what he feared the most.

God helped him, she was off to marry another man.

And he remembered.

* * *

**Good news, huh? Promise I'll try updating sooner, even wit all these holidays still coming hahha gotta love my country**


	10. Of A Wedding Day

_Eric woke up beeing kicked, and was soon full awaken by Snow's moans beside him. A quick look at her face, dimly lightened by the moonlight, told him what he already knew. She was having another nightmare. And by her restless manner and the agony in her face in woulnd't be long until she started to scream and atract the attention of everybody in the castle. _

_Not that he minded, really, but that night he had been so exausted that while he layed in her bed and waited for her to sleep, he had fallen asleep himself, and if she screamed and the guards came in with God knows whomelse and saw them in this situation, well, it wouldn't be very flattering._

_He came the closest he could to her, and wrapped his arms around her tightly, which made her stop squirming so bad, but her face was still the one of someone suffering. _

_He then remembered a lullaby his mother used to sing for him when he was a kid, and how it always somehow soothed him._

_"I left my baby lying there_

_Lying there, lying there_

_I left my baby lying there_

_When I went to gather blaeberries_

_Ho bhan ho bhan haithri o ho_

_Haithri o ho, haithri o ho_

_Ho bhan ho bhan haithri o ho_

_When I went to gather blaeberries"_

_By the end of the song, Snow's face was peaceful once again, and so it remained all the following nights that he sang to her._

* * *

Snow arrived the castle while it was still night, and used the little time she had until morning to sleep. Or try to at least. Every time sleep came, so came the nightmares, only this time it wasn't Ravenna or any kind of dark magic that threatened her. It was a lifetime of unhappinnes, or images of Eric leaving or even worse, Eric with another woman.

Gladly for her, morning didn't take long to arrive, and the first rays of sunshine entered her room along with Greta, that rushed to her bed, wanting to know had her last day with Eric had been.

Snow smiled sadly at her friend and sighed.

"The bright side is I don't think William will make that bad of a husband" she said to her entwined fingers on her lap, which made Grets sigh in defeat and take her friend's hand in solidarity.

"Be strong, Snow, and have faith." she said, beeing rewarded with a small smile.

They talked a bit more, and Greta informed Snow of the dwarves and William's arrival.

"It turns out they went on a small task to try to find an end to this, but unfortunately they failed".

Snow nodded slowly and asked Greta how long they had until the wedding.

"Four hours" Greta said "Do you want your bath now?" she asked, and when Snow nodded she went to fecth a maid to run the bath.

Shortly after Greta's departure she heard a knock on her door

"Come in" she said, and William appeared, surprising her.

"William! What are you doing here? Don't you know the tradition?" she said, trying to sound happy, but failing. Her voice sound tired and defeated and the hours of stolen sleep didn't help much.

"That's only for real weddings, Snow, not this scheme I threw you into". he said with roughness, directioned only to himself.

"Don't penalize yourself, William, we already went trought this, and I've forgiven you." she said

"How can I not, Snow? My foolishness only made you suffer. You, the person I care the most and the last one I'd ever hurt." He said, despair easy to distinguish on his voice. "I just don't deserve you." he said, and Snow felt pitty for him. She now knew how hard it was to love someone and not beeing loved back, and it hurt. And she couldn't really blame him for his stupid acts. Right now, if anyone offered her an easy way to have Eric back, she would surely take it.

She smiled at her childhood friend in simpathy. "You'll have time to make it up, Wiliiam, you're a good man you've always been. You can't condemn yourself forever for one mistake." she said, ad it made him smile a bit. "Now, go get dressed, we'll see each other later." she tried her best to give him a encouraging smile, but doubted the grin that escaped her coud encourage even the bravest man. He nodded in return and left the room closing the door behind him.

Four hours passed like four minutes. Time did fly when you are busy, and today, Snow White would still have touble managing things if she was split in two.

She took a bath, got her make up and hair made, got dresed and was interrupted over and over again about several wedding details. She answered the questions everyone made her without actually paying attention. She didn't cared whith the small details, and even though she was constantly pressed to reveal the identity of her groom, she refused to do so.

It was as though because she didn't voice it, it was still not true. As if some kind of miracle could still happen and Eric could still have a chance. She knew it was foolishness, but she couldn't help but wait until the last minute for everyone to find out.

When only half an hour separated her from her fate, Snow, who had been indifferent all day, begun to grow nervous. She couldn't stop moving, and her hands sweted, and there was a enourmous weight on her chest she couldn't get rid of.

Sho took one enourmous flower arrange that had been place on her table this morning and went out of the room, using the piece to hide her face and parte of her body. The dress skirt wasn't so volumous, so she didn't really had any trouble walking around the castle with it, and hiding behing a wall or a pillar whenever she spoted someone coming. She went to three exits before finding one less crowded and decided to take her leave.

Once outside the castle, she lifted her dress and ran, not relly sure if she would come back.

* * *

Eric had his attention divised by two crucial things at the moment: arriving the castle as fast as he could and praying. He had never been much of a religious man, but once Snow had told him that throught the many years she spend locked out in the tower, she would often pray when she felt scared, because it helped her feel safer.

So he prayed, to all the Gods that could hear him, that they'd help arrive in time to stop that madness of a wedding that would ruin Snow's life. And his. And their child's.

"For God's sake" he yelled, desperated as if somehow his despair could make his horse take pity on him and go faster. He took a look in the sky and saw it should be close to 10am now, which only increased his agony.

The wedding was at 10 o'clock.

He cursed, and prayed all over again, but he wasn't that far, twenty minutes away probably, and that whole formality would probably give him some extra time.

So he rode and cursed and prayed.

* * *

Snow White reached the castle garden, that private section she loved so dearly, and tried to control her breath. She couldn't get married. Not today, not like this, not with William. Not when she was helplessly in love with another man, the man that fathered the chid she was carrying, and the one she was truly supposed to be with.

Was it not like that the way it is supposed to be? She endind up with her true love? The man that had countless time risked his life for her own, and lifted the spell that had taken her away?

She stopped her pacing around and let herself fall in a rock bench, and ran her finger through her hair, that now looked way more wild than it did when Greta had finished it.

She pondered about her options for a minute, until realizing they would lead the same way.

Running away today only put things foward, and she didn't know how much more disapointment she could take. Getting married today, even if it was not with the man she wanted, would somehow estabilize things, and she could definately use some peace.

She looked down at the beautiful white dress, especially designed for this occasion, and how the castle was beautifully decorated. And at last, she thought of the real reason she was doing all of this: her child. She could not, and would not, allow any bad comments about it, she would protect it and love it and give everything it needed. Starting, she sighed, with a name.

Getting up, she straightned her dress up and tried to tie back some of the hair strands that had fallen.

It was time.

* * *

It was time.

It was already 10 o'clock when Eric crossed the castle gates and not bothering dismounting, he countinued on horseback until he reached the back gardens, where the wedding would take place. He saw a bunch of chairs, all occupied, saw the dwarves in the front row, and a few more familiar faces, but no bride.

His relief was so big he almost fell off his horse, so he decided to dismount before that actually happened. As soon as his feet hit the ground, William appeared, very confused.

"Eric! You're here" he said, in a mist of a statement and a question.

"I remember" Eric said, and William's eyes almost popped out in surprise.

"All of it?" he asked, still unsure

"From the moment we met, untill the last word she said to me. And all the feelings in between." he smiled, and William took a deep breath, relieved.

He hugged the huntsman while appologizing, but Eric just decided to let things go.

"As long, of course you'll do me a small favor" he said

"What is it?" he inquired, very curious to know what Eric could have in mind at a time like this.

* * *

When Snow reached the back gardens, she was received with a mix of relief and reproval from Greta, who would be her maid of honor.

"For heaven's sake, Snow, where were you?"

She almost told her friend about all the stuff that was going on on her head, but she knew that if she voiced it there was a good chance she'd really give up. So she just shook her head, dismissing her absence.

"Just preparing myself" she said "Is everything ready?"

"You have no idea" Greta said, but before Snow could ask her what she meant, the girl vanished, and soon after she heard the music beginning to play and the Duke approching her, and offering her his am.

"Ready, my dear?" he asked, but she ignored the question and just accepted his arm instead.

She looked up at him and he smiled at her, reasuringly, and she tried to smile back, but all the happiness she saw in his look saddened her, for she felt as if she was fooling everyone, including herself. She looked down, and tears formed in her eyes, clounding her vision, right in time for her big entrance.

She took a deep breath to calm herself and looked up to see the last dwarf going in, which meant she was next.

She heard the song change.

People getting up.

And the tears came again.

She stood at the entrance of the aisle, with everyone looking at her, and she had those supid tears clounding her vision again. She saw William already waiting for her at the altar and the tears threatened to fall.

She closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down, as she began to slowly walk.

_I can't do this _she thought, but continued to move either way.

She must have taken five steps when she heard someone chuckling and then the whole world stopped.

"You might want to open your eyes, princess." he said, and she did, just to certify she wasn't dreaming "We couldn't have you triping and falling on your wedding day, can we?"

She stood still, not believing what she saw. Eric, and not William, was standing in the altar, all dressed up, though the clothes seemed a bit small for him, looking as if there was absolutely nothing wrong.

"What are you doing here?" She asked slowly, her voice barely audible, and all eyes turned to Eric, who gave her the most beautiful smile.

"I remember." he said and her whole face lit up.

She bent down to pick up her dress and ran the rest of the way to him, landing on his open arms. He kissed her passionately, causing the presents to gasp, some in surprise, some in reproval and some in awe.

They were interrupted by a loud clear of throat, and they turned to see the priest, looking very red. Snow blushed and tried to get away from Eric, but he kept his grip on her firmly, and not looking the least embarrased.

"Umm, Can we start now?" the old man asked and both of them nodded.

"Very well. Dearly beloved..."

* * *

**Yaaay, married at last!**


End file.
